THE 


REBELLION  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES; 


OR, 


THE  WAR  OF  1861; 


BEING    A 


IpistoriJ  of  its  ^m  anb  ||r0flr*ss, 


COMMENCING  WITH 

THE  PKESLDENTIAL  ELECTION. 

CONTAINING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE 

MOVEMENT  OF  TROOPS  ;   DESCRIPTION  OF  BATTLES  ;    LIST  OF  KILLEI>  AND 

WOUNDED;  BURNING  OF  BRIDGES;  BURIAL  OF  SOLDIERS;  PATRIOTIC 

SPEECHES;   AND  OTHER  INCIDENTS  OF  INTEREST  CON 

NECTED  WITH  THE  REBELLION. 


TAKEN    FKOM 

GOVERNMENT  DOCUMENTS  AND  OTHER  RE'.IAB1.^  SOURCES. 


CAREFULLY  COMPILED  BY 
MRS.    J.     BLAKESLEE     FROST. 

HARTFORD,  1862. 


J' 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1862,  by 

J.   BLAKESLEE   FROST, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


OKO.  C.  RAtfb  &  AVER?, 

STEREOTYPERS    AND    PRINTJBBfl, 

BO  STOW. 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN  offering  to  the  public  this  work  on  the  "  Rebellion  in 
the  United  States, "  it  is  done  with  not  a  little  embarrass 
ment,  and  many  fears  and  anxieties,  known  only  to  those 
who,  for  the  first  time  in  their  life,  under  their  own  real 
signature,  have  brought  before  the  public,  to  any  consid 
erable  extent,  the  effusions  of  their  pen. 

In  bringing  this  little  volume  before  the  people,  the 
authoress  lays  no  claim  to  rare  talents,  or  great  abilities 
as  a  "  historian,"  nor  expects  to  win  unheard-of  laurels  ; 
but  to  give  to  the  world  a  plain,  simple,  unvarnished 
account  of  passing  events  as  they  actually  occur ;  and 
she  has  endeavored  in  this  work  to  "  separate  the  wheat 
from  the  chaff,"  or,  in  other  words,  to  give  the  truth 
in  its  purity,  and  cast  aside  the  fiction. 

In  submitting  this  work  to  the  criticism  of  the  press 
and  the  people,  it  is  done  with  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  her  own  incompetency,  and  she  is  fully  aware  that 
abler  pens  than  hers  are  being  wielded  in  the  work 
of  narrating  this  stupendous  rebellion.* 

In  preparing  this  "  History,"  the  authoress  has  endeav 
ored,  for  the  time  being,  as  far  as  possible,  to  divest 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

herself  of  prejudice,  or  at  least  to  disguise  her  own 
Veal  sentiments,  and  stand  upon  "  neutral  ground,"  which 
is  the  only  true  position  of  the  "  historian,"  and  to  give 
only  facts,  without  regard  to  party  or  political  bearing, — 
writing  not  to  win  the  friendship  of  any,  but  hoping  for 
the  favor  of  all.  To  record  the  circumstances,  and  give 
an  account  of  the  revolution  as  it  is,  the  vastness  of  its 
field  of  operations  renders  it  a  work  of  great  labor  to 
produce  a  history  which  shall  be  at  once  clear  and 
minute,  and  such  a  one  as  shall  be  worthy  to  be 
preserved  for  generations  yet  to  come,  as  well  as  a  repos 
itory  of  the  events  of  the  time. 

Professing  to  stand  in  the  shade  of  obscurity,  and 
sending  forth  this  volume  to  tell  its  own  story  of  the 
"  Rebellion,"  the  writer  leaves  it  to  the  sound  judgment 
of  an  enlightened  public  to  approve  or  condemn. 

In  conclusion,  the  authoress  submits  this  her  first 
edition  on  the  "  Rebellion  "  to  that  "  august  tribunal," 
the  reading  public  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  can 
but  express  the  hope  that  the  eye  of  the  critic  will  glance 
lightly  over  it,  and  the  learned  and  able  of  the  press 
will  touch  it  with  a  gentle  hand,  for  on  them,  in  a 
great  measure,  depends  the  success  of  this  work  ;  there 
fore  hoping  they  will  give  it  a  careful  perusal,  and  speak 

of  it  according  td  its  just  merits. 

J.  B.  F. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

PAGE 

Presidential  election,  and  its  effects  on  the  people, 12 

Bank  suspension,  and  meeting  of  Congress, 14 

Opening  prayer  in  the  House, 15 

President  Buchanan's  Message  read  to  both  Houses,  and  transmitted 

South, 17 

The  Union-saving  committee  of  thirty-three  organized, 19 

Resignation  of  Howell  Cobb,  and  his  letter  to  the  people  of  Georgia, 20 

Exciting  cabinet  meeting  at  Washington  in  regard  to  Fort  Moultrie. 

The  President's  opposition,  and  resignation  of  Secretary  Cass, . .  22,  23 
Exciting  letter  from  the  wife  of  an  officer  at  Moultrie, 24 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  United  States  forces  in  the  Southern  States,  and  resignation  of  Secre 
tary  Cass, 25 

Proclamation  for  a  national  fast, 26 

The  Crittenden  compromise, 27 

Robbery  of  the  Indian  Trust  Fund  bonds,  in  the  Department  of  the  Inte 
rior,  2S 

Caleb  Gushing  returns  from  South  Carolina, 30 


VI  CONTENTS. 


Evacuation  of  Fort  Moultric, 32 

Description  of  Fort  Sumter,  and  officers  of  the  garrison, 34 

Exciting  session  of  the  cabinet,  and  demands  of  the  South  Carolina  com 
missioners,  35 

Seizure  of  the  slaver  Bonita, 37 

Senator  Benjamin's  great  secession  speech  in  the  United  States  Senate,.  .38 

Senator  Baker,  of  Oregon,  replies  to  Senator  Benjamin, 40 

Secretary  of  the  Interior  resigned, 41 


CHAPTER   III. 

An  imaginary  battle  at  Harper's  Ferry, 42 

The  Star  of  the  West  fired  into  in  Charleston  harbor, 43 

Resignation  of  Secretary  Thomas,  and  withdrawal  of  Southern  senators, .  44 
Abraham  Lincoln,  President  elect,  left  Harrisburg,  secretly,  for  "Wash 
ington,  45 

Great  Union  celebration  in  San  Francisco, 45 

Mr.  Lincoln's  official  welcome  to  the  Capitol, 46 

Peace  convention  adjourned, 47 

Closing  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Congress, 48 

Ceremonies  and  incidents  of  the  Inauguration, 48 

Inaugural  address  of  President  Lincoln, 54 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Southern  side  of  the  question  reviewed,  with  comments, 65 

Great  mass-meeting  of  the  citizens  at  Savannah, 74 

Resignation  of  Senator  Chesnut,  of  South  Carolina,  and  exciting  street- 
meeting  in  Columbia, 75 

Resignation  of  Senator  Hammond,  and  enthusiastic  meeting  in  Charles 
ton,  ...  76 


CONTENTS.  YII 


Grand  gathering   of  citizens  of  Charleston  to  inaugurate  the  revolu 
tion,  77 

Arms  and  equipments  of  Virginia, 78 

Suspension  of  Southern  banks, 79 


CHAPTER    V. 

Response  of  the  Governor  of  Texas  to  the  people's  call  for  an  extra  ses 
sion  of  the  legislature, 82 

Letter  written  by  Brigadier-General  Semmes  to  the  people  of  Georgia, . .  83 

Fiery  declaration  of  Governor  Wise, 84 

The  position  of  the  people  of  Texas, 86 

Ministers  engaged  in  the  cause  of  treason, 87 

Meeting  of  the  South  Carolina  convention, 88 

Passage  of  the  secession  ordinance 90 

The  "  Minute-men  "  of  Norfolk  to  South  Carolina,  greeting, 91 

Grand  demonstration    in    honor  of   the   secession  of  South  Carolina 

throughout  the  Southern  States, 92 

Meeting  of  the  South  Carolina  convention  at  Charleston, 93 

Major  Anderson's  removal  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Sumter, 94 

Governor  Hicks  refuses  to  convene  the  legislature  of  Maryland, 95 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Resignation  of  Floyd,  seizure  of  government  property,  shipments  of 
arms  to  the  South,  etc., 98 

South  Carolina  convention  passed  an  ordinance  to  define  and  punish 
treason, 101 

Treasonable  conduct  of  Secretaries  Thompson  and  Toucey, 103 


VIII  CONTENTS. 


Major  Anderson's  action  in  reference  to  the  firing  into  the  "  Star  of  the 

West," 105 

Secession  ordinance  passed  by  Mississippi, 105 

Secession  ordinance  passed  by  Florida  and  Alabama, 106 

Lieutenant  Slemmer's  letter  to  the  Florida  commissioners, 107 

The  people  of  South  Carolina  demand  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter, ...  107 
An  attempt  to  assassinate  the  President  elect  in  Baltimore, 109 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  treason  of  General  Twiggs, 115 

Concentrating  troops  at  Charleston,  and  preparing  for  the  conflict, 120 

Military  called  out  in  Washington,  to  protect  the  Capitol; — oath  of 

allegiance  administered, 121 

Commencement  of  hostilities  —  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter, 123 

The  fort  surrendered, ". 126 

Incidents  of  the  fight, 128 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Great  excitement  in  the  North  in  consequence  of  the  news  from  Charles 
ton, 131 

The  President's  proclamation  calling  for  troops, 134 

The  Governor  of  Massachusetts  calls  out  the  Third,  Fourth,  Sixth  and 

Eighth  Regiments,  —  also  the  Boston  Light  Artillery, 136 

The  four  regiments  arrive  in  Boston, 138 

Great  excitement  at  Clapp's  Wharf, 139 

Enthusiastic  meeting  of  the  Irish  residents, 141 

The  adoption  of  a  "  daughter  "  by  the  Sixth  Regiment, 146 


CONTENTS.  IX 


Arrival  of  different  companies,  presentation  of  the  color,  and  departure 

of  the  Sixth, 147 

Departure  of  the  Third  and  Fourth  Regiments, 149 


CHAPTER    IX. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  leave  Boston  for  Washington, 151 

Presentation  of  the  flag  and  patriotic  speech  by  Governor  Andrew, 152 

Arrival  of  the  Sixth  and  Fourth  Regiments  in  New  York, 155 

Harper's  Ferry  arsenal  destroyed  by  Lieut.  Jones, 156 

The  Massachusetts  Sixth  Regiment  assailed  by  a  mob  in  its  passage 

through  Baltimore, 157 

Correspondence  between  Governor  Andrew  and  Mayor  Brown,  of  Bal 
timore,  in  reference  to  the  Massachusetts  dead  at  Baltimore, 162 

List  of  the  wounded, 164 

The  President  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  a  blockade  of  secession 

ports, 166 

Correspondence  between  Governor  Hicks  and  Governor  Sprague, 167 

Departure  of  the  celebrated  Seventh  Regiment,  of  New  York,  for  Wash 
ington,  169 

Great  rejoicing  at  the  South  over  the  secession  of  Virginia, 172 

Railroad  bridges  burned, 173 

Gosport  navy  yard  destroyed,  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands 

of  the  secessionists, 173 

A  letter  giving  a  description  of  the  destruction  of  the  navy  yard,  by  a 

soldier  at  Fortress  Monroe, 175 

The  Fifth  Regiment  called  out — their  departure  for  the  seat  of  war, 177 

Departure  of  the  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  and  Sixth  New  York  Regiments, 

—  also  the  Rhode  Island  First, 18° 


," 

X  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    X. 

The  bodies  of  the  Massachusetts  dead,  killed  at  Baltimore,  returned 

to  Boston, 188 

Their  reception  by  the  State  Authorities, 189 

Governor  Andrew's  Letter  to  the  Mayor  of  Lowell, 190 

Departure  of  the  steamer  Cambridge,  with  troops  and  supplies,  for  Fort 

Monroe, 191 

Message  of  Governor  Buckingham,  of  Connecticut, 191 


THE 


REBELLION  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Has  our  love  all  died  out ;  have  its  altars  grown  cold ; 
Has  the  curse  come  at  last  which  our  fathers  foretold  1 
BROTHER  JONATHAN'S  LAMENT. 

THE  smouldering  fires  which  for  the  last  thirty  years 
have  been  secretly  burning  in  the  hearts  of  Southern 
politicians  have,  at  last,  found  vent,  and,  notwithstand 
ing  all  the  peace  policies  and  measures  of  "  concilia 
tion  "  extended  to  them  by  the  North,  they  have  chosen 
to  "  rebel "  against  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
and  to  trample  upon  that  noblest  charter  of  liberty 
which  the  world  has  ever  seen,  framed  by  our  forefathers, 
and  sealed  with  their  blood,  —  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States ;  and  the  last  presidential  campaign  served 
to  give  them  a  single  thread  on  which  to  suspend  their 
disunion  sentiments,  and  afford  them  a  plea,  though  a 
miserable  one,  for  declaring  themselves  no  longer  subject 
to  the  federal  government,  but  free  to  found  for  them 
selves  a  "  confederacy  "  where  their  own  ambitious  sons 
could  obtain  high  official  positions,  for  which  they  eagerly 
and  impatiently  thirsted,  and  which,  under  the  federal 
government,  for  the  next  four  years  at  least,  was  denied 
them.  After  the  reins  of  government  had  been,  with  one 
or  two  exceptions,  in  the  hands  of  the  South  for  many 
succeeding  years,  it  was  deemed  by  the  North  that  a 
change  would  be  productive  of  much  good,  and  result  in 

11 


12  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

untold  benefits  to  the  whole  nation ;  consequently,  into 
the  masses  of  the  North  was  instilled  the  "  Republican 
sentiment ; "  and  the  nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln  for 
President  of  the  United  States  was  received  with  general 
dissatisfaction  throughout  the  entire  South,  claiming  that 
his  "  principles  "  were  adverse  to  their  interests.  The 
"rabid"  politicians  of  the  North  were  touching  every 
chord  that  would  vibrate  through  the  hearts  of  the  peo 
ple  and  secure  a  Republican  administration  ;  while  the 
hot-blooded  demagogues  of  the  South  were  stirring  up 
the  people  and  inciting  them  to  "  rebellion  "  and  treach 
ery  against  the  general  government  in  the  event  of  the 
defeat  of  their  candidate  for  the  presidency. 

November  6th,  being  the  presidential  election  day,  the 
following  candidates  were  before  the  people,  viz. :  Abra 
ham  Lincoln,  Republican,  of  Illinois,  for  President ;  Han 
nibal  Hamlin,  of  Maine,  for  Vice-President ;  Stephen  A. 
Douglas,  Democrat,  of  Illinois,  for  President,  and  Her- 
schel  V.  Johnson,  of  Georgia,  Vice-President ;  John  J. 
Breckenridge,  Democrat,  of  Kentucky,  for  President,  and 
Joseph  Lane,  of  Oregon,  Vice-President;  John  Bell, 
unionist,  of  Tennessee,  for  President,  and  Edward  Ever 
ett,  of  Massachusetts,  Vice-President.  The  election  re 
sulted  in  Mr.  Lincoln's  triumph.  Seventeen  States  out 
of  thirty-three  cast  their  majority  vote  for  Lincoln  elec 
tors,  eleven  were  for  Breckenridge,  three  for  Bell,  while 
Douglas  received  the  vote  of  Missouri  and  three-sevenths 
of  the  vote  of  New  Jersey. 

When  the  news  was  made  known  of  the  election  of 
Mr.  Lincoln  to  the  presidential  chair,  that  the  Republican 
star  was  in  the  ascendant,  it  was  received  at  the  South 
with  loud  demonstrations,  and  threats  of  disunion,  civil 
war,  and  bloodshed,  which  savored  more  of  "  conspira 
cies  "  than  of  statemanship  or  honest  aims,  and  which 
was  secretly  responded  to  by  many  traitorous  spirits  at 
the  North. 


THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  13 

First  and  foremost  in  the  rebellion,  South  Carolina 
took  the  lead,  and,  on  the  20th  of  December,  1860,  declared 
herself  out  of  the  Union,  and  a  free  and  independent 
State,  and  was  immediately  followed  by  Mississippi,  Flor 
ida,  Alabama,  Georgia,  Louisiana,  North  Carolina,  and 
Texas,  forming  themselves  into  a  confederacy  with  their 
capital  at  Montgomery,  Alabama,  and  Jefferson  Davis  as 
their  president,  who,  with  Governor  Pickens  and  some 
other  turbulent  spirits  among  the  revolutionists,  seemed 
almost  entirely  lost  to  considerations  of  prudence  and 
discretion,  and  to  act  upon  the  supposition  that  the 
loyal  States  could  be  bullied  into  a  conflict  or  frightened 
into  "  submission "  with  their  threatened  thunder  and 
smoke  of  war. 

But  the  North  remained  cool  and  firm,  thinking  that 
when  error  and  passion  had  ceased  to  declaim,  perhaps 
truth  might  be  heard,  and  an  amicable  adjustment  of 
difficulties  might  be  arrived  at ;  compromise  after  com 
promise  was  drawn  up,  and  Congress  was  active  in  its 
efforts  to  repair  the  breach  between  the  States,  and 
restore  peace  and  union  where  now  was  alienation  and 
discord  ;  but  all  to  no  purpose  ;  in  that  hotbed  of  secession 
and  treachery  the  voice  of  conciliation,  in  any  form  what 
ever,  could  not  even  gain  a  hearing,  and  the  new  confede 
racy,  so  belligerent  in  spirit,  and  apparently  eager  for  the 
fight,  would  accept  of  no  compromise,  while  the  free  States, 
conscious  of  their  strength  and  resources,  were  peaceful 
in  their  inclinations,  and  reluctant  to  resort  to  coercion. 

The  news  of  the  election  of  Lincoln  was  received  at  the 
North  by  many  with  demonstrations  of  rejoicing,  but  their 
joy  was  soon  turned  to  sadness,  for  it  was  immediately 
followed  by  a  general  suspension  of  business  ;  no  trade  ; 
credit  almost  destroyed  ;  awful  panic  in  the  money  market, 
that  commodity  bringing  exorbitant  rates  of  interest,  and 
could  only  be  procured  by  such  as  could  give  about  three 
times  its  value  in  collaterals ;  great  declension  in  the 


14  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

manufacturing  districts ;  nearly  all  mills  and  manufac 
tories  were  either  entirely  closed  or  were  working  on 
short  time,  and  thousands  were  thus  deprived  of  work  or 
any  means  of  subsistence  for  themselves  and  families, 
with  the  wants  and  necessities  of  a  "  Northern  winter  " 
staring  them  full  in  the  face,  and  but  little  hopes  of  a 
speedy  termination  of  difficulties. 

November  22d  all  the  banks  in  the  District  of  Columbia, 
and  also  those  in  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Wheeling,  and 
Norfolk,  Ya.,  together  with  the  Farmers'  and  Exchange 
Bank  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  suspended  specie  payments. 

23d,  the  banks  of  Augusta,  Ga.,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and 
Pittsburg,  Penn.,  suspended  specie  payments. 

26th,  all  the  principal  banks  of  Tennessee,  including 
the  State  Bank,  suspended  specie  payments. 

The  twenty-ninth  of  November  was  observed,  in  most 
of  the  Northern  States,  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and 
prayer  ;  sermons  were  preached  by  many  eminent  divines, 
generally  urging  a  policy  of  peace,  concession,  and  frater 
nization  in  the  great  questions  of  the  day. 

The  eyes  of  the  masses  of  the  North  were  now  turned, 
with  an  imploring  look,  towards  Congress,  with  the  hope 
that  that  body,  when  convened,  would  take  some  meas 
ures  to  avert  the  impending  blow  which  seemed  ready  to 
fall  upon  us,  and  calm  the  troubled  waters  of  political 
discord,  and  restore  peace  and  unity. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  November  a  special  session  of 
the  Legislature  of  Maryland  was  called  for,  which  Gover 
nor  Hicks  refused  to  convene,  and  wrote  a  letter  in  reply, 
taking  strong  grounds  against  secession,  and  declared  his 
purpose  was  to  avoid  any  precipitation  of  his  State  in 
action  on  the  part  of  secessionists. 

December  3d,  Congress  met  at  Washington ;  the  House 
opened  at  twelve  o'clock,  with  the  following  impressive 
and  eloquent  prayer  for  the  Union,  by  the  Chaplain  of 
the  House,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stockton :  — 


THE  REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  15 

"  0  God !  we  remember  the  past,  and  we  are  grateful 
for  the  past.  We  thank  thee  for  the  discovery  of  this  New 
World ;  we  thank  thee  for  the  colonization  of  our  part  of 
it;  we  thank  thee  for  the  establishment  of  our  National 
Independence ;  we  thank  thee  for  the  organization  of  our 
National  Union ;  we  thank  thee  for  all  the  blessings  we 
have  enjoyed  within  this  Union,  —  national  blessings,  civil 
blessings,  social  blessings,  spiritual  blessings,  all  kinds  of 
blessings,  unspeakably  great  and  precious  blessings,  such 
blessings  as  were  never  enjoyed  by  any  other  people  since 
the  world  began.  And  now,  0  Lord,  our  God,  we  offer 
to  thee  our  humble  praise  for  the  past,  the  present ;  and 
for  all  the  future  will  it  please  thee,  for  Christ's  sake,  to 
grant  us  thy  special  aid.  Thou  art  very  high  and  lifted 
up ;  thou  lookest  down  over  the  whole  land,  from  lake  to 
gulf,  from  sea  to  sea,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  to  the 
going  down  thereof ;  and  thou  knowest  all  our  doings, 
and  thou  knowest  all  our  failings;  thou  knowest  that 
our  good  men  are  at  fault,  and  that  our  wise  men  are  at 
fault,  in  the  North  and  in  the  South,  in  the  East  and  in 
the  West, —  they  are  all  at  fault ;  we  know  not  what  is  best 
for  us  to  do,  and  with  common  consent  we  come  to  thee, 
0  Lord,  our  God ;  and  we  pray  thee  to  overrule  all  un 
reasonable  and  wicked  men,  in  all  parts  of  our  confed 
eracy.  We  pray  thee  to  inspire,  and  to  strengthen,  and 
to  assist  all  true  patriots  in  every  part  of  the  Union ;  may 
thy  blessing  rest  upon  all  departments  of  our  govern 
ment.  We  remember,  with  especial  solicitude,  the  Presi 
dent  of  these  United  States,  and  his  immediate  advisers. 
They  lack  wisdom,  but  if  they  call  upon  thee  thou 
wilt  give  them  wisdom,  for  thou  givest  it  to  all  men 
liberally,  and  upbraideth  not.  Whilst  we  trust  that  they 
pray  for  themselves,  we  here,  also,  pray  for  them ;  let  thy 
Holy  Spirit  be  granted  unto  them,  and  grant  that  they 
may  speedily  see  what  is  exactly  right  for  them  to  do, 
and  grant  them  grace  to  do  it,  and  to  fully  understand  the 


16  THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

position  in  which  they  are  placed.  We  thank  thee  for 
this  bright  and  beautiful  morning ;  for  the  assembling  of 
the  two  Houses  of  Congress  ;  we  pray  that  thy  blessing 
may  rest  on  the  Vice-President,  and  upon  every  senator 
in  his  place ;  upon  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  and  upon 
every  member  in  his  place.  We  rejoice  to  learn  that 
they  see  their  responsibilities,  and  that  they  feel  their 
responsibilities,  and  that  many  of  them  are  looking  to 
wards  thee  for  counsel  and  direction.  0  Lord,  our  God, 
let  thy  own  presence  subdue  every  heart,  every  mind ; 
and  sanctify  all  actions  to  thy  own  glory  and  the  great 
ness  of  our  whole  people ;  and  0  grant  that  we  may  still 
live  in  peace  and  harmony  in  this  blessed  Union.  Amen." 

The  roll  of  members  was  then  called.  Most  of  the 
States  were  fully  represented ;  to  the  surprise  of  some, 
every  member  from  South  Carolina,  except  one  (Mr. 
Bonham),  answered  to  his  name  on  roll-call  in  the  House. 
But  no  senators  were  present  from  South  Carolina,  Geor 
gia,  or  Louisiana,  —  the  South  Carolina  senators,  Chesnut 
and  Hammond,  having  resigned  their  seats  in  the  Senate, 
the  former  on  the  tenth,  and  the  latter  on  the  eleventh, 
of  the  previous  month  (November). 

We  are  compelled,  though  painfully  and  reluctantly, 
to  yield  to  the  force  of  concurring  evidence,  establishing 
the  fact  that  treachery  and  treason  has  struck  at  the  very 
root  of  the  Federal  Government. 

The  solicitude  and  impatience  of  the  people,  generally, 
to  see  or  hear  the  presidential  message,  was  intense ; 
hoping,  and  clinging  to  that  hope  with  the  tenacity  of 
life,  that  it  might  contain  measures  of  compromise  which 
would  forever  settle  the  question  of  disunion,  and  leave 
the  country  unscathed  by  the  terrible  ravages  of  civil  war. 

The  message  could  not  be  transmitted  to  Congress  at 
the  opening  of  the  session,  simply  because  fair  manuscript 
copies  for  each  House  could  not  be  made  out  in  time, 
without  employing  the  clerks  on  Sunday. 

__^_ 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES. 


17 


Early  on  the  morning  of  the  third  the  President  dis 
patched  Mr.  Trescott,  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  to 
Charleston,  with  the  message,  and  to  urge  a  postpone 
ment  of  action,  in  regard  to  secession,  until  Congress 
could  act  on  compromises  and  remedies ;  who,  after  an 
absence  of  seven  days,  returns  and  immediately  resigns 
his  office.  At  twelve  o'clock,  on  the  4th,  the  President's 
message  was  delivered  to  both  Houses  of  Congress,  and 
the  department  reports  sent  in.  The  message  takes 
strong  grounds  for  conciliation  ;  blames  the  North  for  its 
aggressions  on  slavery ;  proposes  plans  of  compromise ; 
recommends  amendments  to  the  Constitution  ;  denies  the 
right  of  secession,  yet  disparages  coercion.  Its  reading 
was  listened  to  with  the  most  profound  attention,  yet  it 
did  not  satisfy  the  South,  nor  please  the  North ;  it  was 
attacked  fiercely  in  the  Senate  by  Clingman,  of  North 
Carolina,  and  defended  by  Crittenden,  of  Kentucky. 
Southern  senators  declare  the  message  to  be  weak,  vacil 
lating,  inconsistent  and  untrue  ;  while  the  leading  Repub 
lican  senators  were  united  and  unhesitating  in  pronounc 
ing  it  a  weak,  silly  paper,  unworthy  such  a  man  at  such 
a  time.  Evidently  it  was  not  what  was  expected ;  at  the 
time  of  our  country's  greatest  peril  something  more  deci 
sive  was  hoped  for. 

It  was  charged  by  some  that  the  President  secretly 
favored  secession,  and  quietly  responded  to  the  calls  of 
the  South,  made  upon  the  government,  and  if  not  actually 
assisting  in  the  movement,  at  least  doing  nothing  to 
hinder  it.  "  He  that  is  not  for  me  is  against  me." 

Then  it  was  urged  by  the  friends  of  Mr.  Buchanan  that, 
as  his  term  of  office  had  nearly  expired,  he  declined  to 
act,  choosing  rather  to  leave  the  settlement  of  all  national 
difficulties  to  the  incoming  administration  —  peaceful  im 
becility  !  How  long,  think  you,  my  readers,  would  the 
"  hero  of  New  Orleans,"  the  immortal  Jackson,  have  sat 
with  his  arms  folded  and  his  eyes  closed,  patiently  waiting 

2* 


18  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

for  the  time  to  arrive  when  he  should  retire,  and  leave 
his  successor  to  settle  difficulties  as  best  he  could  ?  "  In 
the  field  of  argument,  or  on  the  field  of  battle,"  would  he 
not  spring  to  his  feet  (as  011  a  former  occasion),  and  with 
the  words — "  By  the  Eternal,  I  take  the  responsibility !  " 
—  employ  all  his  powers  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  though 
the  people  of  his  own  native  State  were  the  prime  movers 
in  it  ? 

In  the  House,  Mr.  Boteler,  of  Virginia,  offered  a  resolu 
tion  to  appoint  a  special  committee,  of  one  from  each 
State,  to  whom  should  be  referred  so  much  of  the  Presi 
dent's  message  as  "  relates  to  the  present  perilous  condi 
tion  of  the  country."  The  United  States  Senate,  Decem 
ber  4th,  was  characterized  by  the  most  exciting  speeches 
of  Southern  senators,  looking  to  secession  as  their  only 
relief  from  Northern  domination.  In  the  House,  on  the 
question  of  referring  the  secession  matter  in  the  message 
to  a  special  committee,  the  declaration  of  Mr.  Miles,  of 
South  Carolina,  that  his  State  was  already  out  of  the 
confederacy,  in  everything  but  form ;  of  Mr.  Hawkins,  of 
Florida,  that  the  day  of  compromises  was  passed  forever ; 
of  Mr.  Singleton,  of  Mississippi,  that  his  State  could  take 
care  of  herself;  of  Mr.  Pugh,  of  Alabama,  that  the  Union 
was  virtually  dissolved ;  of  Mr.  Jones,  of  Georgia,  that  his 
State  was  prepared  to  go  out  of  the  confederacy ;  and  of 
other  southerners  to  a  similar  effect,  produced  but  little 
sensation.  There  was  a  slight  startle  upon  the  announce 
ment  of  Mr.  Miles, u  that  his  State  was  out  of  the  Union," 
and  the  inquiry  was  made,  in  the  gallery,  why  he  and  his 
colleagues  were  occupying  seats  in  the  national  capitol. 
The  answer  to  this  question  was  —  To  get  their  money 
and  stationery. 

December  5th,  at  the  meeting  of  the  State  Electoral 
Colleges,  Abraham  Lincoln,  for  President,  and  Hannibal 
Hamlin,  for  Vice-Presidcnt,  received  the  votes  of  seven 
teen  States,  or  one  hundred  and  eighty  electoral  votes. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES.  19 

On  the  sixth,  the  Speaker  of  the  United  States  House 
of  Representatives  announced  the  committee  of  thirty- 
three,  called  for  under  Mr.  Boteler's  resolution,  to  con 
sider  "  so  much  of  the  President's  message  as  relates  to 
the  present  perilous  condition  of  the  country."  The 
names  are  as  follows :  —  Ohio,  Mr.  Corwin,  chairman ; 
Virginia,  Mr.  Millson  ;  Massachusetts,  Mr.  Adams  ;  North 
Carolina,  Mr.  Winslow ;  New  York,  Mr.  Humphreys ; 
South  Carolina,  Mr.  Boyce ;  Pennsylvania,  Mr.  Campbell ; 
Georgia,  Mr.  Love ;  Connecticut,  Mr.  Ferry ;  Maryland, 
Mr.  Davis  ;  Rhode  Island,  Mr.  Robinson  ;  'Delaware,  Mr. 
Whiteley ;  New  Hampshire,  Mr.  Tappan  ;  New  Jersey,  Mr. 
Stratton  ;  Kentucky,  Mr.  Bristow  ;  Vermont,  Mr.  Morrill ; 
Tennessee,  Mr.  Nelson  ;  Indiana,  Mr.  Dunn ;  Louisiana, 
Mr.  Ta}Tlor ;  Mississippi,  Mr.  Davis  ;  Illinois,  Mr.  Kellogg  ; 
Alabama,  Mr.  Houston ;  Maine,  Mr.  Morse ;  Missouri, 
Mr.  Phelps ;  Arkansas,  Mr.  Rust ;  Michigan,  Mr.  How 
ard  ;  Florida,  Mr.  Hawkins  ;  Texas,  Mr.  Hamilton ;  Wis 
consin,  Mr.  Washburne ;  Iowa,  Mr.  Curtis ;  California, 
Mr.  Burch  ;  Minnesota,  Mr.  Windom  ;  Oregon,  Mr.  Stout. 

When  the  reading  of  the  names  was  concluded,  Mr. 
Hawkins,  the  only  representative  from  Florida,  asked  to 
be  excused  from  serving  on  the  committee,  and,  declining 
to  act,  was  approached  in  a  solemn  and  patriotic  speech, 
by  John  Cochrane,  of  New  York ;  who,  figuratively,  with 
the  American  flag  in  one  hand  and  a  splendid  spread 
eagle  in  the  other,  appealed  to  the  Florida  member  to  act 
upon  the  committee.  It  was  a  burst  of  thrilling  elo 
quence,  and  the  applause  in  the  galleries  attested  the 
sincerity  with  which  the  popular  heart  cherishes  the  love 
of  the  Union ;  but  Hawkins  heeded  not  the  appeal,  and 
before  the  House  had  an  opportunity  to  act  upon  the 
subject,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Millson,  of  Virginia,  that  body 
adjourned,  leaving  Mr.  Hawkins  in  suspense,  and  securing 
to  Mr.  Millson  a  volley  of  curses  for  his  interference. 
Subsequently  Mr.  Hawkins  excused  himself  for  not  serv- 


20  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

ing  on  the  committee  of  thirty-three,  in  an  elaborate 
speech,  defending  the  South  and  the  right  of  secession, 
and  declaring  the  appointment  of  the  committee  to  be  a 
constructive  fraud,  as  some  persons  believed  it  to  be  a 
great  pacificator,  to  heal  our  wounds  and  produce  a  polit 
ical  millennium.  The  effect,  if  carried  out,  would  be  to 
demoralize  and  degrade  the  South.  He  was  sorry  the 
proposition  came  from  one  of  the  noble  sons  of  the  South  ; 
denouncing  the  Union  and  Union-saving  committee  in  no 
measured  terms  ;  rejecting  the  very  idea  of  compromise, 
and  added  that  he  was  not  acting  under  impulse,  but 
from  convictions  of  twenty  years. 

In  addition  to  Mr.  Hawkins,  Mr.  Boyce,  of  South  Caro 
lina,  and  Mr.  Merrill,  of  Vermont,  asked  to  be  excused, 
but  were  promptly  refused  by  the  House.  Mr/Hawkins 
rose  and  signified  that  he  wished  to  say,  with  all  defer 
ence,  "  that  he  would  not  serve  ; "  accordingly  the  "  sons 
of  the  South  "  withdrew. 

Very  little  importance  was  attached  to  the  committee 
of  thirty-three,  appointed  to  save  the  Union,  as  the  very 
basis  upon  which  it  was  constructed  would  defeat  the  ob 
ject  in  view ;  it  being  composed  of  discordant  elements, 
there  could  be  no  concerted  action. 

On  the  tenth  of  December  a  special  cabinet  meeting 
was  called  by  the  President,  at  which  Howell  Cobb,  Sec 
retary  of  the  Treasury,  resigned ;  after  several  ineffectual 
attempts  to  extricate  the  treasury  from  its  tangled  con 
dition,  and  failing  to  account  for  the  disbursement  of 
large  sums  of  government  money,  he  proposed  to  resign 
at  once  ;  and  his  resignation  was  accepted. 

We  find,  bearing  the  same  date,  a  long  and  hot-headed 
letter,  written  by  Secretary  Cobb  to  the  people  of  Georgia, 
in  which,  after  referring  to  the  origin  and  purposes  of  the 
Republican  party,  he  says:  —  "It  is  not  simply  that  a 
comparatively  obscure  abolitionist,  who  hates  the  institu 
tion  of  the  South,  has  been  elected  President,  and  that 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  21 

we  are  asked  to  live  under  the  administration  of  a  man 
who  commands  neither  our  respect  nor  confidence,  that 
the  South  contemplates  resistance,  even  to  disunion ; 
wounded  honor  might  tolerate  the  outrage,  until,  by  an 
other  vote  of  the  people,  the  nuisance  could  be  abated ; 
but  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  involves  far  higher  con 
siderations.  It  brings  to  the  South  the  solemn  judgment 
of  a  majority  of  the  people  of  every  Northern  State,  with  a 
solitary  exception,  in  favor  of  doctrines  and  principles  viola- 
tive  of  her  constitutional  rights,  humiliating  to  her  pride, 
destructive  of  her  equality  in  the  Union,  and  fraught  with 
the  greatest  danger  to  the  peace  and  safety  of  her  people. 
The  question  is  now  presented,  whether  a  longer  submis 
sion  to  an  increasing  spirit  and  power  of  aggression  is 
compatible  either  with  her  honor  or  her  safety.  In  my 
mind  there  is  no  room  for  doubt.  The  issue  must  now 
be  met,  or  forever  abandoned  ;  equality  and  safety  in  the 
Union  are  at  an  end,  and  it  only  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  our  manhood  is  equal  to  the  task  of  asserting 
and  maintaining  independence  out  of  it.  The  Union 
formed  by  our  fathers  was  one  of  equality,  justice  and 
fraternity ;  on  the  fourth  of  March  it  will  be  supplanted 
by  a  Union  of  sectionalism  and  hatred.  Black  Repub 
licanism  is  the  ruling  sentiment  at  the  North.  They  have 
trampled  upon  the  Constitution  of  Washington  and  Madi 
son,  and  will  prove  equally  faithless  to  their  pledges  ;  you 
ought  not,  cannot  trust  them.  We  are  no  longer  brethren, 
dwelling  together  in  unity  ;  they  have  buried  brotherhood 
in  the  same  grave  with  the  Constitution ;  "  —  and  con 
cludes  by  saying, — 

"  Fellow-citizens  of  Georgia :  I  have  endeavored  to 
place  before  you  the  facts  of  the  case  in  plain  and  unim- 
passioned  language ;  and  I  should  feel  that  I  had  done 
injustice  to  my  own  convictions,  and  been  unfaithful  to 
you,  if  I  did  not,  in  conclusion,  warn  you  against  the  dan 
ger  of  delay,  and  impress  upon  you  the  hopelessness  of 


22  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

any  remedy  for  these  evils,  short  of  secession.  You  have 
to  deal  with  a  shrewd,  heartless  and  unscrupulous  enemy, 
who,  in  their  extremity,  may  promise  anything,  but  in  the 
end  will  do  nothing.  On  the  4th  day  of  March,  1861,  the 
federal  government  will  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  aboli 
tionists  ;  it  will  then  cease  to  ha,ve  the  claim  either  upon 
your  confidence  or  your  loyalty  ;  and  in  my  honest  judg 
ment,  each  hour  that  Georgia  remains,  thereafter,  a  mem 
ber  of  the  Union,  will  be  an  hour  of  degradation,  to  be 
followed  by  certain,  speedy  ruin.  I  entertain  no  doubt 
either  of  your  right  or  duty  to  secede  from  the  Union. 
Arouse,  then,  all  your  manhood  for  the  great  work  before 
you,  and  be  prepared,  on  that  day,  to  announce  and  main 
tain  your  independence  out  of  the  Union ;  for  you  will 
never  again  have  equality  and  justice  in  it.  Identified 
with  you  in  heart,  feeling  and  interest,  I  return  to  share 
in  whatever  destiny  the  future  has  in  store  for  our  State 
and  ourselves." 

Self-sacrificing  man !  his  "  interest"  possibly,  may  be  in 
Georgia ;  an  empty  treasury  offers  him  no  inducements  to 
remain  at  the  national  capital,  and  feeling  so  keenly  the 
"  danger  of  delay,"  and  the  "  degradation"  of  remaining 
in  the  Union,  he  should  have  tendered  his  resignation  at 
an  earlier  day. 

Mr.  Toucey,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  was  called  upon  to 
act  in  his  stead,  ad  interim,  and  three  days  after,  Mr. 
Phillip  F.  Thomas,  ex-Governor  of  Maryland,  was  nomi 
nated  and  confirmed  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  vice 
Cobb,  resigned. 

On  the  13th,  the  sentiments  of  the  people  of  Philadel 
phia  were  expressed  by  an  immense  Union  demonstration, 
by  proclamation  of  the  mayor. 

On  the  same  day  the  cabinet,  at  Washington,  was  the 
scene  of  contention  and  strife ;  exciting  speeches  were 
made  in  regard  to  the  re-enforcement  of  Fort  Moultrie,  in 
Charleston  harbor,  in  command  of  Major  Robert  Anderson, 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  IS 

(whither  he  had  been  sent,  on  the  18th  of  November,  to 
|  relieve  Col.  Gardiner,  who  was  ordered  to  Texas) .  The 
President  opposed  its  re-enforcement,  expressing  his  "  de 
termination  "  to  send  no  more  troops  to  the  forts  near 
Charleston,  saying  he  had  "  assurances "  that  the  fort 
would  not  be  attacked,  if  no  re-enforcements  were  attempt 
ed,  and  that  everything  should  be  done,  on  his  part,  to 
avoid  a  collision.  Mr.  Cass,  Secretary  of  State,  and  Mr. 
Toucey,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  both  strenuously  urged 
the  policy  of  strengthening  Major  Anderson  fully.  Gen. 
Cass  said, — "  These  forts  must  be  strengthened  ;  I  demand 
it."  The  President  replied,  —  "  I  am  sorry  to  differ  from 
the  Secretary  of  the  State,  but  the  interests  of  the  country 
do  not  demand  a  re-enforcement  of  the  forts  at  Charleston  ; 
I  cannot  do  it ;  I  take  the  responsibility."  The  next  day 
Secretary  Cass  resigned. 

The  commander  who  deliberately  leaves  an  insufficient 
garrison  in  a  fort,  without  re-enforcing,  or  attempting  to 
re-enforce,  that  garrison,  by  such  acts  of  omission  and 
commission  palpably  "  challenges  "  the  enemy ;  and  yet 
our  trembling  President,  afraid  of  his  own  shadow,  where 
the  vaporing  South  is  concerned,  but  reckless  of  decency 
where  the  North  is  interested,  is  afraid  to  strengthen  his 
own  forts  for  fear  the  South  should  take  offence  !  What 
a  military  commander  Mr.  Buchanan  would  make.  How 
must  the  bones  of  George  Washington,  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  Zachary  Taylor  writhe  in  their  graves !  not  dare  to 
strengthen  our  own  forts,  for  fear  the  enemy  should  be 
offended !  How  shall  we  be  regarded,  or  respected,  by 
the  military  nations  of  Europe  hereafter  ?  Such  cowardice 
is  a  blot  upon  every  American  citizen.  A  clergyman, 
visiting  a  school  connected  with  the  alms-house,  in  a 
small  village  in  Massachusetts,  made  some  remarks  to 
the  children,  in  which  he  endeavored  to  illustrate  the 
sinful  condition  of  men,  in  a  familiar  way.  "  You  know," 
said  the  clergyman,  "  that  the  negroes  at  the  South  are 


24  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


serving  their  masters.  Now,  we,  sinful  creatures,  are 
serving  a  master  who  is  worse  than  a  slave-driver ;  and 
can  any  boy  tell  me  who  this  master  is  ?  "  "  Yes,  sir," 
said  one  of  the  lads,  with  a  great  deal  of  emphasis,  "  it  is 
James  Buchanan." 

The  following  letter,  from  the  wife  of  an  officer  at  Fort 
Moultrie,  tells  its  own  story  :  — 

"FORT  MOULTRIE,  December  11,  1860. 

"DEAR :  I  feel  too  indignant;  I  can  hardly  stand 

the  way  in  which  this  little  garrison  is  treated  by  the 
heads  of  government.  Troops  and  proper  accommoda 
tion  are  positively  refused ;  and  yet,  the  commander  has 
orders  to  hold  and  defend  the  fort.  Was  ever  such  sacri 
fice  (an  intentional  one)  known?  The  Secretary  has 
sent  several  officers,  at  different  times,  to  inspect  here,  as 
if  that  helped ;  it  is  a  mere  sham,  to  make  believe  he  will 
do  something.  In  the  mean  time  a  crisis  is  very  near ; 
I  am  to  go  to  Chaidcston  the  first  of  the  week.  Within  a 
few  days,  wo  hear  —  and  from  so  many  sources  that  we 
cannot  doubt  it  —  that  the  Charlestonians  are  erecting 
two  batteries,  one  just  opposite  us,  at  a  little  village, 
Mount  Pleasant,  and  another  on  the  end  of  this  island ; 
and  they  dare  the  commander  to  interfere,  while  they  are 
getting  ready  to  fight  sixty  men  !  In  this  weak  little  fort, 
I  suppose,  President  Buchanan  and  Secretary  Floyd  intend 
the  Southern  Confederacy  to  be  cemented  with  the  blood 
of  this  brave  little  garrison.  These  names  should  be 
handed  down  to  the  end  of  time. 

"  When  the  last  man  is  shot  down,  I  presume  they  will 
think  of  sending  troops.  The  soldiers  here  deserve  great 
credit ;  though  they  know  what  an  unequal  number  is 
coming  to  massacre  them,  yet  they  are  in  good  spirits,  and 
will  fight  desperately.  Our  commander  says  he  never 
saw  such  a  brave  little  band.  I  feel  desperate  myself. 
Our  only  hope  is  in  God.  My  love  to  all. 

"  Your  affectionate  sister." 


CHAPTER  II. 

Inaction  now  is  crime.     The  old  earth  reels, 
Inebriate  with  guilt ;  and  Vice,  grown  bold, 
Laughs  Innocence  to  scorn.     The  thirst  for  gold 
Hath  made  men  demons.  BURLEIGH. 

THE  entire  force  of  the  United  States  troops,  stationed 
in  the  Southern  States,  at  this  time,  was  as  follows :  — 

At  Fort  Monroe,  Virginia,  eight  companies  of  artillery  ; 
at  Fayettcville  Arsenal,  North  Carolina,  one  company  of 
artillery  ;  Key  West,  Florida,  one  company  of  artillery  ; 
at  Fort  Moultrie,  South  Carolina,  two  companies  of  artil 
lery  ;  at  Augusta,  Georgia,  one  company  of  artillery  ; 
Barrancas  Barracks,  near  Pensacola,  Florida,  one  com 
pany  of  artillery ;  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  one  company 
of  artillery ;  total,  about  eight  hundred  men ;  and  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  United  States  marines  at  Nor 
folk  and  Pensacola. 

December  14th,  Lewis  Cass,  Secretary  of  State,  resigned 
his  seat  in  the  cabinet.  The  reasons  and  motives  which 
prompted  his  resignation  are  probably  not  perfectly 
understood ;  though  it  is  supposed  it  was  owing  to  his 
disapproval  of  the  President's  inaction  in  regard  to  re- 
enforcing  Southern  forts,  arsenals,  navy  yards,  etc.  His 
resignation  caused  much  feeling  and  comment.  Espe 
cially  was  the  President  grave,  almost  to  sadness.  The 
withdrawal  of  his  long-tried  and  cherished  friend  from 
his  bosom  councils  added  poignancy  to  his  sorrow,  which 
was  difficult  to  overcome.  President  Buchanan  issued  a 
proclamation,  calling  upon  the  people  of  the  Union,  in 
view  of  the  distracted  and  dangerous  condition  of  the 

3  25 


26  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

country,  to  observe  the  4th  of  January,  1861,  as  a  day  of 
fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer. 

A  gale  came  up  from  the  sou'-sou'-west, 

'Twas  fierce  November  weather; 
But  the  ship  had  felt  such  a  storm  before, 

And  her  planks  still  held  together. 
And  thus,  though  the  howling  tempest  showed 

No  signs  of  diminution, 
The  passengers  said,  "  We'll  trust  our  ship, 

The  staunch  old  Constitution !  " 

The  captain  stood  on  the  quarter-deck  — 

"  The  seas,"  he    said,  "  they  batter  us ; 
'Twas  my  watch  below  in  the  former  gale  — 

I  doubt  if  we'll  weather  Hatteras. 
The  wind  on  the  one  side  blows  me  off, 

The  current  sets  me  shoreward ; 
I'll  just  lay- to  between  them  both 

And  seem  to  be  going  forward." 

"  Breakers  ahead  !  "  cried  the  watch  on  the  bow ; 

"  Hard  up  ! "  was  the  first  mate's  order  ; 
"  She  feels  the  ground-swell,"  the  passengers  cried, 

"  And  the  seas  already  board  her ! " 
The  foresail  split  in  the  angry  gust; 

In  the  hold  the  ballast  shifted  ; 
And  an  old  tar  said,  "  If  Jackson  steered 

We  shouldn't  thus  have  drifted  ! " 

But  the  captain  cried,  "  Let  go  your  helm !  " 

And  then  he  called  to  the  bo'swain, 
"Pipe  all  hands  to  the  quarter-deck, 

And  we'll  save  her  by  devotion ! " 
The  first  mate  hurled  his  trumpet  down ; 

The  old  tars,  cursed  together, 
To  see  the  good  ship  helpless  roll 

At  the  sport  of  wave  and  weather. 

The  tattered  sails  are  all  aback, 

Yards  crack,  and  masts  are  started; 
And  the  captain  weeps  and  says  his  prayers, 

Till  the  hull  be  mid-ships  parted; 
But  God  is  on  the  steersman's  side  — 

The  crew  are  in  revolution ; 
The  wave  that  washes  the  captain  off 

Will  save  the  Constitution ! 

BAYARD  TAYLOR. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


2T~1 


On  the  15th,  Attorney-General  Black  was  appointed 
Secretary  of  State,  in  place  of  Lewis  Cass,  resigned. 

On  the  18th  of  December,  Senator  Crittenden,  of  Ken 
tucky,  introduced  into  the  United  States  Senate  resolu 
tions  of  compromise,  as  a  settlement  of  differences  be 
tween  the  Slave  and  Free  States.  The  bill,  as  introduced, 
proposed  to  renew  the  Missouri'  compromise  line,  pro 
hibiting  slavery  in  the  territory  north  of  36  degrees  30 
minutes,  and  protecting  it  south  of  that  latitude ;  and 
for  the  admission  of  new  States,  with  or  without  slavery, 
as  their  constitutions  should  provide ;  to  prohibit  the  abo 
lition  of  slavery,  by  Congress,  in  the  States  ;  to  prohibit  its 
abolition  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  so  long  as  it  exists 
either  in  Virginia  or  Maryland  ;  to  permit  the  transporta 
tion  of  slaves,  in  any  of  the  States,  by  land  or  water ;  to 
provide  for  the  payment  of  fugitive  slaves,  when  rescued  ; 
to  repeal  one  obnoxious  feature  of  the  fugitive  slave  law 
—  the  inequality  of  the  fee  to  the  commissioner ;  and, 
also,  to  ask  the  repeal  of  all  the  personal  liberty  bills  in 
the  Northern  States. 

These  concessions  were  submitted,  in  the  form  of  amend 
ments  to  the  Constitution,  to  a  select  Senate  committee 
of  thirteen.  Much  time  was  consumed  in  considering 
various  propositions  to  arrest  the  progress  of  dissolution, 
and  give  peace  to  the  country.  Messrs.  Crittenden, 
Douglas  and  Bigler  maintained  it  with  great  zeal  and 
ability.  Mr.  Douglas  declared,  if  that  mode  of  compro 
mise  would  not  answer  he  was  willing  to  go  for  any 
other,  consistent  with  honor  or  justice  ;  that  he  was  ready 
to  consider  any  question  for  the  preservation  of  the 
country. 

The  appeals  of  Mr.  Crittenden,  in  behalf  of  the  Union, 
are  said  to  have  been  eloquent  and  sublime.  He,  too, 
was  willing  to  embrace  any  other  effective  mode  of  ad 
justment.  Mr.  Bigler,  of  Pennsylvania,  advocated  a  final 
settlement  of  difficulties,  by  a  division  line  across  the 


28  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

country,  so  that  the  question  of  slavery  could  be  taken 
out  of  Congress,  and  entirely  separated  from  the  popular 
elections  at  the  North,  without  which  we  could  never  have 
permanent  peace.  Messrs.  Davis,  Toombs  and  Hunter  dis 
cussed  the  present  unhappy  condition  of  the  country,  and 
manifested  a  willingness  to  accept  any  measure  of  filial 
settlement  which  would  secure  their  just  rights  in  the 
Union.  Though,  at  the  same  time,  an  under-current  of 
secession  feeling  was  sweeping  them  steadily  on,  and  blind 
ing  them  to  every  concession,  or  plan  of  compromise, 
which  could  be  made  by  the  North,  as  they  had  previous 
ly  said  that  the  South  would  have  "  no  compromise" 
that  the  Union  was  "  virtually  dissolved"  that  the  day 
for  the  adjustment  of  difficulties  was  "passed  forever;" 
so,  therefore,  their  action  on  the  committee  of  thirteen 
was  mere  form,  without  expecting  any  beneficial  results. 
So,  accordingly,  when  the  final  vote  was  taken  on  the 
Crittcnden  proposition,  it.  was  defeated. 

On  the  18th  and  19th,  Andrew  Johnson,  United  States 
Senator  from  Tennessee,  spoke  on  the  resolutions,  propos 
ing  amendments  to  the  Constitution.  He  denied  the 
right  of  secession,  and  called  upon  the  President  to  en 
force  the  laws,  regardless  of  consequences.  Taking  up 
arms  to  resist  the  federal  laws,  he  pronounced  treason. 

December  19th,  Governor  Hicks,  of  Maryland,  declined 
to  receive  the  commissioner  from  Mississippi.  He  vindi 
cated  the  course  by  expressing  strong  Union  sentiments  ; 
notwithstanding  which  the  commissioner  of  Mississippi  to 
Maryland  addressed  a  large  meeting  in  Baltimore,  advis 
ing  cooperation,  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  Maryland,  in 
the  secession  movement. 

December  23d,  the  excitement,  consequent  upon  the 
state  of  affairs  in  the  nation,  was  entirely  absorbed  by  an 
astounding  report  of  a  robbery  of  Indian  Trust  Fund 
bonds,  in  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  committed  dur 
ing  Secretary  Thompson's  visit  to  North  Carolina,  as 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  29 

commissioner  011  the  part  of  his  own  State,  Mississippi. 
The  amount  abstracted  is  confessed,  by  Godard  Bailey, 
the  guilty  disbursing  clerk,  to  have  been  eight  hundred 
and  thirty  thousand  dollars ;  but,  on  investigation,  it  is 
believed,  "  the  half  has  not  been  told." 

Bailey,  to  whom  the  bonds  were  specially  intrusted,  is 
a  native  of  South  Carolina,  but  at  the  time  of  his  appoint 
ment,  as  disbursing  clerk,  was  a  citizen  of  Alabama. 

The  funds  stolen  are  known  as  the  Indian  Trust  Fund, 
which  has  accumulated,  for  the  benefit  of  various  Indian 
tribes,  under  our  treaties  with  them.  According  to  the 
provision  of  many  of  these  treaties,  a  certain  sum  is  stip 
ulated  to  be  paid  to  the  Indians  for  their  land,  the  sum 
to  be  paid  in  annual  payments,  equalling,  in  amount,  the 
interest  that  would  be  due  upon  the  principal.  In  order 
to  avoid  the  necessity  of  being  compelled  to  pay  these 
annual  sums  out  of  the  current  receipts  of  the  revenue, 
the  government  has  been  in  the  habit  of  investing  the 
principal  in  State  stocks,  and  making  the  interest  on 
those  stocks  meet  the  annual  payment  due  the  Indians. 

It  was  these  bonds  or  stocks,  thus  acquired,  that  have 
been  so  unlawfully  abstracted  from  the  Interior  depart 
ment.  The  most  intense  excitement  prevailed  concerning 
the  robbery.  Mr.  Floyd,  Secretary  of  War,  and  several 
other  high  officials  under  government,  were  charged  with 
"  complicity  "  in  the  affair,  and  said  to  be  "  deeply  impli 
cated"  in  the  revelations  made.  Secretary  Thompson 
appealed  to  the  House  for  the  appointment  of  a  commit 
tee,  with  full  power  to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  and 
asked  for  investigation,  by  Congress,  in  order  to  vindi 
cate  his  own  honor  and  expose  the  guilty,  that  full  justice 
might  be  done  in  the  premises. 

Whether  guilty  or  not  guilty  of  the  "robbery,"  is  he 
not  equally  guilty  with  Floyd,  of  maladministration  in 
office  ?  Was  he  not  a  conspirator  against  the  government 
when  he  accepted  the  appointment  of  commissioner,  from 

3* 


30  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

one  "  rebellious  "  State  to  another  ?  Was  he  attending  to 
the  duties  of  the  office  which  he  still  held  under  govern 
ment,  and  by  whom  he  was  paid  for  his  services,  when 
he  left  Washington,  as  the  bearer  of  treasonable  docu 
ments  from  Mississippi  to  North  Carolina,  urging  the 
cooperation  of  that  State  in  the  matter  of  secession, 
and  declared  that  it  afforded  him  " great  pleasure"  to 
accept  this  appointment  and  obey  these  instructions  ? 
How  came  the  fraud  (which  had  been  going  on  for  many 
months)  to  be  discovered  just  at  the  time  of  his  absence  ? 
And,  yet,  this  is  the  man  who  calls  upon  Congress  to 
"  vindicate  his  honor  !  " 

Caleb  Gushing,  special  messenger  of  the  President  to 
South  Carolina,  to  induce  the  postponement  of  the  adop 
tion  of  the  ordinance  of  secession,  returns  and  reports  the 
passage  of  the  ordinance,  and  reports  no  hopes  of  any 
arrangement  of  the  pending  differences.  He  represented 
the  condition  of  affairs,  there,  to  be  fearful  and  alarming. 
A  cabinet  meeting  was  then  called.  A  deepening  gloom, 
darker  than  the  pall  of  night,  and  as  solemn  as  the  sar 
cophagus  of  Washington,  appears  to  have  settled  over  the 
national  capital.  The  most  hopeful  were  desponding, 
seeing  no  prospect  of  a  settlement  of  difficulties.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  man,  or  set  of  men,  equal  to  the  occasion, 
though  there  were  some  who  had  the  ability,  the  sagacity, 
the  statesmanship,  to  grapple  with  questions  at  issue,  yet 
were  powerless  to  arrest  the  fearful  ruin  that  impended. 
Mr.  Crittenden,  in  conversation  with  a  friend,  said  that  it 
was  the  darkest  day  of  his  life ;  that  he  was  overwhelmed 
with  solicitude  for  his  country,  and  that  nothing  but  the 
affection  of  the  people  for  the  Union  could  restore  peace. 
Terror  and  gloom  was  on  every  countenance.  The  Crit 
tenden  compromise  was  defeated  by  the  Senate  committee 
of  thirteen,  and  the  House  committee  of  thirty-three  could 
accomplish  nothing.  All  confidence  in  the  administration 
was  lost.  A  President  who  was  secretly  aiding  the  South, 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  81 

who  violated  the  Constitution,  and  refused  to  administer 
the  laws ;  who  was  false  to  the  obligations  upon  him  to 
preserve  our  nationality ;  —  a  cabinet  composed  almost 
entirely  of  Southern  men,  with  secession  principles, — 
nothing  could  be  hoped  for  from  that  quarter. 

The  Union,  "  the  old  ship  of  state,"  which  had  been 
steered  safely  through  fogs  and  darkness,  and  various 
dangers,  for  upwards  of  three-score  years  and  ten, — 
which  had  hitherto  weathered  every  storm,  —  was  now 
being  driven  swiftly  before  wind  and  tide  to  the  rocks 
and  shoals  of  civil  war ;  and  it  was  of  no  avail  that  the 
foaming  breakers  ahead  were  pointed  out  to  the  officers 
and  crew,  to  whom  had  been  entrusted  the  manage 
ment  of  the  noble  vessel,  with  her  precious  freight  of  his 
toric  glory,  present  prosperity  and  power,  and  all  the 
glowing  hopes  of  future  years.  Every  man  seemed  drunk 
or  mad,  and  shipwreck  appeared  inevitable.  Reason  and 
moderation  were  banished  from  both  sections.  The  ex 
tremists,  both  North  and  South,  were  equally  violent ; 
and  the  United  States  was  precipitated,  by  reckless  politi 
cians,  into  the  most  revolutionary  condition  ever  witnessed 
in  any  country  in  the  world. 

December  24.  Intense  excitement  in  Pittsburg,  Penn 
sylvania,  in  consequence  of  orders  being  given  to  ship, 
from  the  Alleghany  arsenal,  seventy-eight  ten  and  eight- 
inch  columbiads  to  Fort  Newport,  near  Galveston,  and 
forty-eight  to  Ship  Island,  near  Balize,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  —  both  unfinished  forts.  The  people 
regarded  the  order  as  designed  to  strip  the  arsenal,  in 
order  to  place  the  heavy  guns  in  the  hands  of  the  enemies 
of  the  government.  An  immense  meeting  was  held  in 
the  street,  relative  to  the  removal  of  ordnance  South. 
Several  resolutions  were  adopted,  almost  unanimously, 
declaring  loyalty  to  the  Union,  deploring  the  existing 
state  of  things,  and  that  it  is  the  special  duty  of  Pennsyl 
vania  to  look  to  the  fidelity  of  her  sons ;  and  in  that  view, 


32  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

call  on  the  President,  as  a  citizen  of  that  commonwealth, 
to  see  that  the  public  receive  no  detriment  at  his  hands. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  the  indignation  of  the  people,  and 
their  avowed  determination  to  oppose,  by  force,  their 
removal,  on  the  twenty-eighth  the  order  was  carried  out. 
The  work  of  removal  commenced ;  the  heavy  guns  of  the 
arsenal  were  placed  on  board  of  boats,  procured  for  that 
purpose,  and  forwarded  to  their  destination,  at  the  South. 

On  the  24th,  the  members  of  Congress  from  South  Car 
olina  notified  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa 
tives,  that  the  secession  of  their  State  dissolved  their 
connection  with  that  body.  The  Speaker  directed  the 
names  of  the  South  Carolina  members  to  be  retained  on 
the  roll,  and  to  be  regularly  called ;  thus  not  recognizing 
the  conduct  of  their  State,  as  severing  their  connection 
with  the  House,  or  government. 

December  26.  Ex-Speaker,  James  L.  Orr,  R.  "W.  Barn- 
well,  and  ex-Governor  J.  H.  Adams,  commissioners  from 
South  Carolina,  appointed  to  negotiate  with  the  federal 
government,  in  relation  to  matters  pertaining  to  the  ordi 
nance  of  secession  adopted  by  a  convention  of  that  State, 
arrived  in  Washington,  and  were  received  by  Mr.  Tres- 
cott,  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  (resigned),  and  who 
subsequently  acts  as  their  secretary. 

Col.  Myers  and  Captain  Donovan,  of  South  Carolina, 
and  Major  Wayne,  of  Georgia,  resigned  their  offices  in 
the  army.  On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  December 
26,  Major  Anderson  commenced  the  evacuation  of  Fort 
Moultrie,  transferring  his  entire  force  (about  eighty  men), 
with  stores,  munitions,  movable  arms,  etc.,  to  Fort 
Sumter,  after  having  spiked  the  guns  and  set  fire  to  the 
gun-carriages.  The  facts  show  that  Major  Robert  Ander 
son,  who  commanded  Fort  Moultrie,  knowing  the  position 
to  bo  untenable,  evacuated  it  and  took  possession  of  Fort 
Sumtor,  an  almost  impregnable  fort,  where,  in  tho  event 
of  an  attack  upon  United  States  property,  he  would  be 

i 

L__ZI         ;'~  ~    .   .     ^,  .    .; ~      "~~   ~" '      . , . ~  •;  — 


THE   REBELLION  JN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  33 

enabled  to  defend  it  against  great  odds.  Anderson  with 
drew  for  strategic  purposes  ;  for  it  was  generally  known, 
and  the  expressed  opinion  of  military  men,  that  Fort 
Moultrie  could  not  be  held,  against  a  resolute  attack,  for 
twenty-four  hours ;  but  that  Sumter  was  the  strongest 
fort,  of  its  size,  in  the  world.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  evacuation  of  a  weak  and  comparatively  worthless 
position,  for  a  stronger  one,  was  a  wise  military  move 
ment. 

They  stood  within  those  fortress  walls, 

A  small  but  gallant  band ; 
O'er  them  still  waved  the  stars  and  stripes, 

Bright  emblem  of  their  land. 

Scarce  there  one  man  to  every  star 

This  hero  band  could  boast, 
Yet  they  must  guard  the  banner  there 

Against  a  countless  host. 

The  chieftain  called  his  men  around, 

And  pointing  to  those  stars, 
"  Dare  you  defend  them  with  your  lives  ?  " 

They  answered  with  huzzas. 

His  pitying  eye  overlooked  his  men, 

Then  at  the  flag  on  high; 
A  tear  stole  down  his  cheek  for  those 

That  were  too  brave  to  die. 

"Haul  down  your  colors  from  the  staff, 

You  shall  not  perish  here ; 
It  were  in  vain  to  ask  of  you 

A  sacrifice  so  dear. 

On  yonder  fortress  it  shall  wave, 

And  all  the  world  defy; 
Then,  if  your  country  dares  demand, 

There  we  can  nobly  die/' 

The  morning  sun  salutes  that  flag, 

Defended  by  that  band ; 
Humanity's  great  heart  sends  forth 

Its  plaudits  o'er  the  land. 

Our  Union  banner  still  shall  wave, 

Each  star  in  bold  relief, 
If  we  but  dare  defend  our  flag 

Like  Sumter's  gallant  chief. 


84  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE,  UNITED    STATES. 

The  artificial  island  on  which  Fort  Sumter  is  built  is 
constructed  of  the  refuse  from  the  granite  quarries  of 
New  England.  Ten  years  was  consumed  in  its  comple 
tion,  at  a  cost  of  half  a  million  of  dollars.  The  fortifica 
tion  is  of  a  pentagonal  form,  built  of  solid  brick  masonry. 
The  walls  are  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  from  eight  to  ten 
feet  in  thickness,  and  are  pierced  for  three  tiers  of  guns, 
besides  having  necessary  loop-holes  for  musketry,  and 
designed  for  an  armament  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
pieces  of  ordnance,  of  all  calibres.  The  full  armament  of 
the  fort,  however,  had  not  arrived  there  when  Major 
Anderson  took  possession,  but  it  was  thought  that,  with 
the  armament  then  in  the  fort,  the  guns  would  be  capable 
of  throwing  six  thousand  pounds  of  shot  at  each  discharge. 

The  other  officers  of  the  garrison,  under  Major  Ander 
son,  were  Captain  Abner  Doubleday,  Captain  Seymour, 
Lieutenant  T.  Talbot,  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Davis,  Lieutenant 
N.  J.  Hall,  all  of  the  first  regiment,  artillery  ;  Captain  J. 
G.  Foster,  and  Lieutenant  G.  "W.  Snyder,  of  the  engineer 
corps ;  Assistant  Surgeon  S.  W.  Crawford,  of  the  medical 
staff.  The  force  under  these  gentlemen  consisted  of  two 
companies  of  artillery ;  the  companies,  however,  were  not 
full,  the  two  comprising  only  about  seventy  men,  includ 
ing  the  band. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th  it  was  ascertained  at 
Charleston  that  Fort  Moultrie  was  evacuated.  This 
news  was  displayed  on  the  bulletins,  and  intense  excite 
ment  spread  throughout  the  city ;  the  indignation  of  the 
people  knew  no  bounds.  Several  of  the  military  compa 
nies  were  ordered  out,  and  the  convention  went  into 
secret  session. 

The  intelligence  that  Major  Anderson  had  abandoned 
and  destroyed  the  chief  material  works  of  Fort  Moultrie 
was  received  at  Washington  before  noon  on  the  27th ; 
but  up  to  ten  o'clock,  p.  M.,  no  official  information  had 
been  received  from  Charleston,  either  by  the  President  or 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  35 

Secretary  of  War.  At  first,  the  report  was  discredited, 
and  public  opinion  was  not  at  all  settled  upon  the  point, 
until,  late  in  the  afternoon,  the  following  dispatch  was 
sent  to  the  President,  by  the  South  Carolina  commission 
ers,  they  having  just  received  it :  — 

"  Great  excitement,  on  account  of  removal  of  garrison 
from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter.  Removed  on  Wednes 
day  evening,  and  at  night.  Captain  Foster,  with  small 
guard,  left  in  Fort  Moultrie  to  complete  dismantling. 
They  are  now  burning  gun-carriages ;  guns  spiked,  and 
report  of  intention  to  blow  up  Fort  Moultrie." 

The  President  immediately  convened  his  cabinet,  in 
extraordinary  session.  The  confirmation  of  the  impor 
tant  intelligence  spread  with  great  rapidity,  and  created 
most  intense  excitement  throughout  the  entire  country. 
It  was  the  topic  everywhere,  and  various  were  the  con 
jectures  as  to  the  cause  which  led  to  the  event.  Many 
approved,  and  but  few  condemned.  The  conduct  of 
Major  Anderson  was  universally  commended  by  Northern 
men  of  all  parties,  and  by  Union  men  everywhere. 

December  28.  The  cabinet  adjourned,  after  a  pro 
tracted  and  exciting  session  of  six  hours.  The  affair  at 
Charleston  was  the  subject  under  consideration.  Secre 
tary  Floyd  stated  to  the  President,  in  writing,  that  unless 
Major  Anderson  was  withdrawn  from  Fort  Sumter,  he 
could  not  remain  in  the  cabinet. 

The  South  Carolina  commissioners  "  demanded"  as  an 
ultimatum,  that  the  federal  troops  be  withdrawn  imme 
diately  from  all  the  Charleston  forts, —  as  their  presence, 
pending  negotiations,  was  a  menace,  —  or  this  would  be 
their  last  interview,  and  they  would  return  to  South  Car 
olina,  and  prepare  for  the  worst. 

How  far  they  might  have  succeeded  in  bullying  the 
President  into  compliance  with  their  wishes,  it  is  not 
possible  now  to  say,  bat  for  the  interference  of  such  men 
as  Holt  and  Stanton. 


86  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

Thompson,  Floyd  and  Thomas  contended  that  a  quasi- 
treaty  had  been  made,  by  the  officers  of  the  government, 
with  the  leaders  of  the  rebellion,  to  offer  no  resistance  to 
their  violations  of  law  and  seizures  of  government  prop 
erty.  Floyd,  especially,  blazed  with  indignation  at  what 
he  termed  the  "  violation  of  honor."  At  last,  Mr.  Thomp 
son,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  formally  moved  that  an 
imperative  order  be  issued  to  Major  Anderson,  to  retire 
from  Sumter  to  Fort  Moultrie ;  abondoning  Sumter  to 
the  enemy,  and  proceeding  to  a  post,  where,  from  the 
weakness  of  the  position,  he  must  at  once  surrender.  Mr. 
Stanton,  the  then  newly-appointed  Attorney  General 
(now  Secretary  of  War),  could  sit  still  no  longer;  and 
rising,  he  said,  with  all  the  earnestness  that  could  be  ex 
pressed  in  his  bold  and  resolute  features, —  "  Mr.  Presi 
dent,  it  is  my  duty,  as  your  legal  adviser,  to  say  that  you 
have  no  right  to  give  up  the  property  of  the  government, 
or  abandon  the  soldiers  of  the  United  States  to  its  ene 
mies  ;  and  the  course  proposed  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  if  followed,  is  treason,  and  will  involve  you,  and 
all  concerned,  in  treason." 

Such  language  had  never  before  been  heard  in  Buchan 
an's  cabinet,  and  the  men  who  had  so  long  ruled  and 
bullied  the  President  were  surprised  and  enraged  to  be 
thus  rebuked.  Floyd  and  Thompson  sprang  to  their  feet 
with  fierce,  menacing  gestures,  seeming  about  to  assault 
Stanton.  Mr.  Holt  took  a  step  forward  to  the  side  of  the 
Attorney  General.  The  imbecile  President  implored 
them,  piteously,  to  take  their  seats. 

The  President  determined,  after  a  full  deliberation,  not 
to  withdraw  Major  Anderson,  and  Mr.  Floyd's  resignation 
was,  therefore,  accepted.  While  the  cabinet  was  still  in 
session,  news  canic  that  Fort  Moultrie  and  Castle  Pinck- 
ney  had  been  taken  possession  of  by  South  Carolina 
militia  ;  also,  Secretary  Thomas  received  a  dispatch  from 
Charleston  stating  that  the  revenue-cutter  Aiken,  in  the 


THE   EEBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  87 

port  of  Charleston,  had  been  seized  by  the  authorities,  and 
that  the  captain,  M.  L.  Coste,  who  is  a  native  of  Charles 
ton,  had  resigned.  This  intelligence  was  immediately 
communicated  to  the  cabinet. 

Though  the  President  would  not  accede  to  the  demands 
of  the  commissioners,  he  signified  that  Major  Anderson, 
in  his  movement,  acted  upon  his  own  responsibility,  and 
without  any  instructions  to  that  effect ;  and  were  he  so 
disposed,  subsequent  events  precluded  the  possibility  of 
restoring  the  troops  to  the  status  quo,  Fort  Moultrie 
being  occupied  by  the  Carolinians. 

After  a  few  more  bitter  words  the  cabinet  adjourned. 
The  commissioners  called  upon  the  President  and  pre 
sented,  in  writing,  their  credentials  from  the  State  of 
South  Carolina,  empowering  them  to  treat  with  the  gen 
eral  government  in  regard  to  the  forts,  arsenals  and  other 
property ;  but  the  President  would  give  no  recognition  to 
their  authority  to  address  him,  except  as  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  and  not  as  commissioners  from  a  foreign 
power. 

At  two  o'clock,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  28th,  the  navy 
department  received  a  dispatch  from  Lieutenant  James 
P.  Foster,  commanding  the  slaver  Bonita,  which  was  car 
ried  into  Charleston  as  a  prize,  that  his  prisoner,  the 
captain  of  the  Bonita,  was  taken  on  a  writ  of  habeas  cor 
pus  before  a  State  judge,  who  remanded  him  on  the 
ground  of  want  of  jurisdiction  ;  and  that  while  conveying 
his  prisoner  from  the  court  to  the  ship,  he  was  forcibly 
taken  from  his  custody  by  a  mob. 

Mr.  Holt,  Postmaster  General,  sent  orders  to  the  sub- 
treasurer,  at  Charleston,  to  remit  all  the  balance  —  thirty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  on  the  post-office  account  —  in  his 
possession,  immediately,  to  the  credit  of  that  department. 

An  immense  Union  meeting  was  held  at  Memphis, 
Tennessee. 

On  the  31st,  Senator  Benjamin,  of  Louisiana,  made  a 


38 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


secession  speech  in  the  United  States  Senate.  He  argued 
at  great  length,  and  with  eloquence,  to  prove  that  a  State 
has  an  inherent  right  to  secede,  and  cannot  be  coerced. 
He  quoted  Webster  and  Madison,  to  sustain  his  position ; 
said  all  pretexts  about  collecting  the  revenue,  or  enforcing 
the  laws  in  the  seceding  States,  were  but  another  name 
for  overcoming  their  objections  by  war. 

He  argued  that  they  could  not  collect  the  revenue  by 
force  ;  that  such  threats  were  only  a  pretext  to  cover  up 
the  real  question,  which  was  this : —  Shall  we  acknowl 
edge  the  independence  of  a  seceding  State,  or  reduce  her 
to  subjection  by  war  ?  —  said  he  had  repeatedly  warned 
the  North  that  they  were  driving  them  to  a  point  that 
would  result  in  a  separation,  and  referred  to  a  speech  he 
made,  in  1856,  predicting  this  result,  and  in  which  he 
said  the  time  would  come  when  the  South  would  throw 
the  sword  into  the  scale  with  all  the  rights  of  the  South, 
because  he  did  not  believe  there  could  be  peaceable  seces 
sion  ;  that  his  words  then  uttered  had  proved  true.  He 
would  to  God  that  the  fears  of  civil  war,  then  expressed, 
would  prove  only  fears ;  but  it  seemed  almost  as  if  the 
other  side  of  the  chamber  desired  to  bring  about  a  civil 
war  ;  that  South  Carolina  had  declared  herself  separated 
from  the  Union,  and  that  she  was  not  alone,  for  Missis 
sippi,  Alabama,  Georgia,  Florida,  and  other  .Southern 
States,  would  soon  follow  ;  that  the  North  had  caused  all 
this  ruin ;  a  sectional  President  had  been  elected,  who 
could,  with  the  aid  of  a  sectional  Senate,  grant  all  the 
benefits  to  and  appoint  from  one  section  all  the  officers 
in  the  gift  of  the  government,  and  thus  ruin  the  South  ; 
and  after  enumerating  the  various  indignities  heaped 
upon  them  by  the  North,  and  commenting  upon  the  evils 
and  disadvantages  of  a  connection  with  the  free  States, 
he  concluded  by  saying :  — 

"  Our  committee  has  reported,  this  morning,  that  no 
possible  scheme  of  adjustment  can  be  devised.  The  day 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  39 

of  adjustment  is  passed ;  if  you  propose  to  make  one  now, 
you  are  too  late.  And  now,  senators,  within  a  very  few 
weeks  we  part,  to  meet  again  in  one  common  council- 
chamber  of  the  nation  no  more,  forever.  We  desire,  we 
beseech  you,  to  let  this  parting  be  in  peace.  I  conjure 
you  to  indulge  in  no  vain  delusions  that  duty,  or  con 
science,  or  interest,  or  honor,  impose  on  you  the  necessity 
of  invading  our  States,  and  shedding  the  blood  of  our 
people.  You  have  no  possible  justification  for  it.  I  trust 
it  is  from  no  craven  spirit,  or  any  sacrifice  of  the  dignity 
or  honor  of  my  own  State,  that  I  make  this  last  appeal, 
but  from  far  higher  and  holier  motives.  If,  however,  it 
shall  prove  vain,  if  you  are  resolute  to  pervert  the  gov 
ernment,  framed  by  the  fathers  for  the  protection  of  our 
rights,  into  an  instrument  for  subjugating  and  enslaving 
us,  then,  appealing  to  the  Supreme  Judge  of  the  universe 
for  the  rectitude  of  our  intentions,  we  must  meet  the 
issue  as  best  becomes  freemen  defending  all  that  is  dear 
to  man.  What  may  be  the  fate  of  this  horrible  contest, 
none  can  foretell.  The  fortunes  of  war  may  be  adverse 
to  our  arms  ;  you  may  carry  desolation  into  our  peaceful 
land,  and  with  torch  and  firebrand  may  set  our  cities  in 
flames  ;  you  may  even  emulate  the  atrocities  of  those  who, 
in  the  days  of  the  Revolution,  hounded  on  the  blood-thirsty 
savage ;  you  may  give  the  protection  of  your  advancing 
armies  to  the  furious  fanatics  who  desire  nothing  more 
than  to  add  the  horrors  of  servile  insurrection  to  civil 
war  ;  you  may  do  all  this,  and  more,  but  you  never  can 
subjugate  the  free  sons  of  the  soil  into  vassals,  paying 
tribute  to  your  power  ;  you  can  never  degrade  them  to  a 
servile  and  inferior  race,  —  never,  never." 

In  the  House,  Mr.  Stevens,  of  Pennsylvania,  offered  a 
resolution  calling  on  the  President  to  state  to  Congress 
the  exact  condition  of  the  public  forts  and  arsenals  in 
South  Carolina,  and  an  account  of  all  the  arms  distrib 
uted  during  the  year,  etc.  etc.  This  was  rejected,  and  a 


40  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

substitute  by  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Ohio,  adopted,  directing  the 
military  committee  to  inquire  and  report  how,  to  whom, 
and  for  what  price,  arms  had  been  distributed  and  sold 
during  the  year;  also  the  condition  of  the  forts  and 
arsenals. 

January  2d.  Senator  Baker,  of  Oregon,  proceeded  to 
address  the  Senate,  on  the  crisis,  referring  first  to  Mr. 
Benjamin's  speech  as  the  best  he  had  heard ;  but  it  re 
minded  him  of  what  had  been  said  of  a  certain  book  that 
had  been  written,  that  it  would  have  been  best  if  it  had 
never  been  written  at  all. 

He  said  the  government  was  a  substantial  power ;  its 
Constitution  a  perpetuity,  and  its  power  capable  of  exer 
cise  against  domestic  treason  or  foreign  foes  ;  and  referred 
to  some  authorities  quoted  by  Mr.  Benjamin,  disproving 
the  latter's  arguments.  He  acknowledged  that  "  per 
sonal  liberty  bills,"  if  they  hindered  the  operation  of  the 
fugitive  slave  law,  ought  to  be  repealed. 

January  2d.  Governor  Morgan,  of  New  York,  in  his 
message,  delivered  at  the  convening  of  the  legislature  of 
his  State,  recommended  the  repeal  of  the  personal  liberty 
bill,  and,  also,  recommended  other  States  to  do  the  same. 

Captain  Charles  Stone  was  appointed  Inspector  General 
of  Militia  in  the  district  of  Columbia,  at  the  recommenda 
tion  of  General  Scott. 

A  hundred  guns  were  fired  in  the  Park,  at  New  York, 
in  honor  of  the  action  of  Major  Anderson.  Salutes  of 
thirty-three  guns  were  fired,  in  honor  of  the  gallant  con 
duct  of  Major  Anderson,  in  Boston,  Burlington,  Vt., 
Philadelphia,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  Auburn,  Schenectady,  and 
Utica,  N.  Y. 

3d.  The  demands  of  the  South  Carolina  commission 
ers  were  refused  by  the  President. 

4th.  The  national  fast  day  was  generally  observed 
throughout  the  States. 

Governor  Sprague,  of  Rhode  Island,  in  his  proclama- 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


41 


tion,  seconds  Mr.  Buchanan's  idea  that  we  ought  to  fast 
and  pray,  and  proposes  to  "  supplicate  Almighty  God  for 
deliverance  from  corrupt  rulers;"  imploring  that  "  our 
laws  may  be  faithfully  and  fearlessly  executed  ;  our  Con 
stitution  and  Union  may  be  preserved,  in  their  original 
strength  and  purity ;  and  those  who  have  charge  of  our 
national  affairs  be  imbued  with  sufficient  patriotism  and 
courage  to  maintain  the  government  inviolate,  and  to 
uphold  the  constitutional  rights  of  the  people  in  every 
section  of  the  country. 

January  5th.  Steamship  Star  of  the  West  left  New 
York,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  artillerists  and  marines. 

8th.  Jacob  Thompson,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  re 
signed.  Thus  we  receive,  in  the  short  space  of  one 
month,  the  resignation  of  four  of  the  highest  officials  of 
the  government,  and  those  to  whom  our  country  should 
look  in  her  hours  of  darkness  and  peril.  General  Cass 
retired  disgusted  and  aggrieved  at  the  inactivity  of  the 
President. 

He-well  Cobb,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  maintained 
his  position  until  the  treasury  became  bankrupt ;  then, 
feeling  that  the  North  "violated  all  her  pledges,"  and 
that  every  hour  he  remained  only  served  to  "  degrade 
him"  he  "conscientiously"  resigned  and  left  for  the 
South. 

John  B.  Floyd  was  content  with  his  position,  as  Secre 
tary  of  War,  until  the  principal  guns  and  munitions  of 
war  had  been  transferred  South,  from  Northern  arsenals, 
navy  yards,  etc.,  a  large  amount  of  government  property 
seized,  and  the  South  armed  and  prepared  for  war  ;  then 
he  "  very  conscientiously  "  resigned. 

Jacob  Thompson  remained  Secretary  of  the  Interior 
until  the  poor  "  Indian  "  had  been  robbed  of  all  his 
funds,  then  his  "sense  of  honor"  compelled  him  to  re 
sign. 

4* 


CHAPTER    III. 

Such  shapes  of  earth  and  time  have  I  not  watched 

In  other  years ;  but  calamity  methinks 

Is  creeping  nigh,  her  cruel  plot  being  hatched. 

WE  give  here  a  little  circumstance  which  goes  to  show 
the  excitable  state  of  the  public  mind  at  that  time,  and, 
particularly,  in  the  border  States.  At  Harper's  Ferry, 
Jefferson  County,  Va.,  the  spot  made  ever  memorable  by 
the  bloody  John  Brown  raid,  the  7th  of  January  was 
characterized  by  the  greatest  excitement,  and  warlike 
preparations  were  made  on  a  large  scale  to  meet  what 
proved  to  be  only  an  imaginary  foe. 

It  seems  that,  from  some  quarter  or  other,  news  had 
come  to  the  Ferry  that  the  government  had  dispatched  a 
force  of  United  States  troops  to  take  possession  of  the 
arsenal  at  the  Ferry,  and  hold  it,  —  its  arms,  stores,  and 
munitions  of  war,  —  in  view  of  the  reported  march  that 
was  to  be  made  by  insurgents  in  the  border  States  on  the 
capitol  at  Washington.  This  report  threw  the  Harper's 
Ferry  people,  especially  the  employees  at  the  arsenal, 
of  whom  there  were  between  three  and  four  hundred, 
into  a  state  of  the  wildest  excitement ;  and  straightway 
the  cry  arose,  "  To  arms !  To  arms ! "  Accordingly, 
when  the  express  train,  which  left  Baltimore  at  four  in 
the  evening,  and  arrived  at  the  Ferry  about  eight,  had 
crossed  the  Long  Bridge  and  reached  the  latter  place,  the 
passengers  were  astonished  to  find  some  three  or  four  hun 
dred  armed  men  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  ready  to  welcome 
the  United  States  soldiers  "  with  bloody  hands  to  hospita 
ble  graves  ; "  or,  in  other  words,  waiting  to  enact  a  scene 

42 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  43 

before  which  all  the  high  extravaganzas  thus  far  played 
off  by  South  Carolina  should  pale  into  utter  insignifi 
cance.  Fortunately  for  the  peace  and  the  ever  after  rep 
utation  of  that  part  of  the  country,  —  and  fortunately, 
perhaps,  for  the  three  hundred  men  in  arms,  —  there 
were  no  United  States  troops  aboard.  None  had  been 
sent,  —  none,  that  any  one  on  the  train  knew  of,  were  ex 
pected  to  be  sent.  Some  were  pleased,  and  others  were 
petulant  and  irritable  that  they  had  no  chance  to  show 
their  valor  and  courage  in  opposition  to  the  government, 
and  their  devotion  to  secessiondom ;  and,  after  discussing 
their  deeds  of  "  chivalry "  which  might  have  been  en 
acted  had  the  troops  arrived,  they  began  to  dwindle  away, 
one  by  one,  till  finally  all  were  gone,  and  peace  and  order 
reigned. 

January  9.  The  "  Star  of  the  West,"  an  unarmed 
steamer  bearing  re-enforcements  to  Major  Anderson,  in 
endeavoring  to  enter  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  about 
daylight  in  the  morning,  was  fired  into  by  the  garrison  on 
Morris  Island,  and  also  by  Fort  Moultrie,  then  in  com 
mand  of  Major  Bipley.  The  steamer  put  about  and 
went  to  sea,  Morris  Island  battery  ^ill  firing  upon  them 
until  they  were  out  of  reach  of  their  guns.  Fort  Sum- 
ter  did  not  respond. 

As  this  intelligence  spread  on  the  wings  of  the  tele 
graph  throughout  the  country,  the  effect  produced  upon 
the  public  mind  in  all  quarters  was  that  we  were  on  the 
eve  of  war.  The  first  gun  had  been  fired,  and  the  end 
of  the  struggle  no  man  could  foresee.  During  the  fore 
noon  of  the  same  day,  Major  Anderson  dispatched  Lieu 
tenant  Hall  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  Charleston,  where  he 
delivered  a  communication  from  the  Major  to  Governor 
Pickens,  wherein  he  recapitulates  the  facts  concerning 
the  Star  of  the  West,  and  requests  to  know  if  the  action 
of  the  State  troops  is  authorized ;  and  says  that  if  such 
action  is  not  disclaimed  by  the  South  Carolina  authori- 


44  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED    STATES. 

ties,  he  will  prevent  the  passage  of  all  vessels  to  the  city 
of  Charleston. 

Governor  Pickens  replied  that  the  re-enforcement  of 
the  fort  was  regarded  as  an  act  of  hostility  to  South  Car 
olina,  and  that  he  approved  of  the  attack  upon  the  Star 
of  the  West. 

After  some  deliberation,  Major  Anderson  concluded  to 
refer  the  subject  to  the  federal  authorities  at  Washington, 
and  Lieutenant  Talbot  was  sent  to  the  capitol  with  dis 
patches. 

January  11.  Phillip  F.  Thomas,  of  Maryland,  Secre 
tary  of  Treasury,  resigned,  and  Hon.  John  A.  Dix,  of 
New  York,  appointed  in  his  place. 

An  abolition  meeting  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  was  broken 
up  Jan.  12.  The  Star  of  the  West  arrived  at  New  York, 
from  Charleston,  and,  on  the  thirteenth,  landed  her  troops 
at  Governor's  Island.  *> 

Senator  Seward,  of  N.  Y.,  made  a  great  Union  speech 
in  the  United  States  Senate. 

15th.  Major-General  Sanford  tendered  the  first  divis 
ion  N.  Y.  State  Militia,  7000  men,  to  the  Commander- 
in-Chief,  for  any  service  which  might  be  required. 

18th.  The  Massachusetts  State  Legislature  tendered  to 
the  President  of  the  United  States  aid  in  men  and  money. 

20th.  Wendell  Phillips,  in  a  speech  at  Music  Hall,  Bos 
ton,  declared  himself  to  be  a  disunionist,  and  said  he  was 
glad  to  see  the  movement  of  South  Carolina. 

21st.  United  States  Senators,  Jefferson  Davis,  of 
Mississippi ;  Fitzpatrick  and  Clay,  of  Alabama ;  Yulee  and 
Mallory,  of  Florida ;  and  the  whole  Alabama  and  Geor 
gia  delegation,  formally  withdrew  from  Congress.  Pos 
tal  service  in  Florida  was  discontinued. 

22d.  Sherrard  Clemens,  of  Virginia,  made  a  Union 
speech  in  the  U.  S.  House  of  Representatives. 

24th.  The  annual  meeting  of  the  Mass.  Anti-Slavery 
Society,  in  Boston,  was  broken  up. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  45 

25th.  The  Rhode  Island  personal  liberty  bill  was 
repealed  by  the  legislature. 

27th.  The  grand  jury  for  the  District  of  Columbia 
made  presentments  of  Ex-Secretary  Floyd  for  maladmin 
istration  in  office,  complicity  in  the  abstraction  of  Indian 
bonds,  and  conspiring  against  the  government. 

31st.  The  attorney  general  of  South  Carolina  made 
proposals  to  government,  in  behalf  of  the  State,  to  buy 
Fort  Sumter. 

February  4th.  The  commissioners  to  the  peace  con 
ference,  proposed  by  Virginia,  met  at  Washington.  Del 
egates  were  present  from  Virginia,  Maryland,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  North  Carolina,  New  York,  Ohio,  Missouri, 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Connecticut, 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Delaware,  Rhode  Island,  and 
Massachusetts,  — Ex-President  Tyler  chosen  president. 

5th.  Senators  Slidell  and  Benjamin  and  the  Louis 
iana  delegation  withdrew  from  Congress. 

9th.     Tennessee  voted  by  a  large  majority  to  remain  in 

the  Union. 

18th.     Virginia  State  convention  met  at  Richmond. 

22d.  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  President  elect,  broke  up 
the  programme  of  his  route  to  Washington,  and  left  Har- 
risburg,  Pa.,  secretly,  in  a  special  night  train,  for  Washing 
ton,  owing  to  fears  of  assassination  in  Baltimore. 

The  Union  celebration  in  San  Francisco  on  the  22d 
was  universally  observed  in  a  style  similar  to  that  of  the 
Fourth  of  July.  Business  was  generally  suspended. 
The  Union  meeting  on  that  day  was  attended  by  20,000 
people.  Union  speeches  were  made,  and  resolutions 
adopted  declaring  the  unalterable  attachment  of  Califor 
nia  to  the  Union ;  that  there  exists  no  power  under  the 
Constitution  for  a  State  to  secede ;  that  California  will 
cheerfully  acquiesce  in  any  honorable  plan  for  the  adjust 
ment  of  the  difficulties  so  as  to  secure  the  rights  of  all 
"the  States ;  that  if  one  or  more  States  should  finally  sep- 


40  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

arate  from  the  confederacy,  California  would  still  cling  to 
the  Union  ;  that  California  repudiates  the  Pacific  republic 
project;  that  the  true  attitude  of  the  people  of  Califor 
nia  is  that  of  fraternal  kindness  toward  all  the  States, 
and  her  honor  and  interests  demand  that  she  should  do 
all  in  her  power  to  bring  about  harmony  and  reunion. 
The  meeting  was  enthusiastic. 

1  On  Wednesday,  February  27,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  officially 
welcomed  to  the  capitol  by  Mayor  Berritt  and  the  mem 
bers  of  the  city  council.  Mr.  Berritt,  in  addressing  the 
President  elect,  spoke  as  follows :  — 

"  Mr.  Lincoln  :  As  the  President  elect  under  the  Con 
stitution  of  the  United  States,  you  are  soon  to  stand  in 
the  august  presence  of  a  great  nation  of  freemen,  and  to 
enter  upon  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the  highest  public 
trust  known  to  our  form  of  government,  and  under  cir 
cumstances  menacing  the  peace  and  permanency  of  the 
republic,  which  have  no  parallel  in  the  history  of  our 
country.  It  is  our  earnest  wish  that  you  may  be  able,  as 
we  have  no  doubt  you  will,  to  perform  these  duties  in 
such  a  manner  as  shall  reflect  honor  to  yourself;  restore 
peace  and  harmony  to  our  now  distracted  country ;  and, 
at  last,  bring  the  old  ship  of  state  into  the  harbor  of 
safety  and  prosperity,  thereby  deservedly  securing  the 
plaudits  of  a  whole  world.  I  avail  myself  of  this  occasion 
to  say  that  the  citizens  of  Washington,  true  to  the  in 
stincts  of  constitutional  liberty,  will  ever  be  found  faith 
ful  to  all  the  obligations  of  patriotism ;  and  as  their  chief 


1  Some  have  charged  Mr.  Lincoln  with  cowardice  in  avoiding  Baltimore, 
but  it  appears  to  be  the  fault  of  Baltimore,  not  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  for  "  Mr. 
Buchanan  met  with  the  same  difficulty  when  he  left  Lancaster,  four  years 
before,  on  his  way  to  Washington,  as  President  elect ;  he  was  threatened  by 
the  rowdies  of  Baltimore  with  personal  violence,  in  any  number  of  anony 
mous  letters,  and  it  made  such  an  impression  on  him  that,  in  company  with 
a  few  friends,  he  took  a  private  carriage,  leaving  his  escort  and  a  dinner 
that  had  been  prepared  for  him  behind. 


THE   REBELLION   IX   THE   UNITED    STATES.  47 

magistrate,  and  in  accordance  with  the  honored  visage, 
I  bid  you  welcome  to  the  seat  of  government." 

Mr.  Lincoln,  in  reply,  thanked  the  mayor,  and,  through 
him,  the  municipal  authorities  of  the  city,  for  their  kind 
welcome ;  and  declared  it  to  be  the  first  time  in  his  life, 
since  the  present  phase  of  politics  had  presented  itself  in 
this  country,  that  he  had  spoken  publicly  within  a  region 
of  country  where  the  institution  of  slavery  existed ;  and 
expressed  it  as  his  opinion  that  very  much  of  the  ill-feel 
ing  which  has  existed,  and  still  exists,  between  the  peo 
ple  of  the  section  from  whence  he  came  and  the  people 
of  the  slave  States  was  owing  to  a  misunderstanding 
between  each  other  which  unhappily  prevails.  At  the 
same  time  assuring  the  mayor,  and  all  the  people  present, 
that  he  had  not  at  that  time,  nor  ever  had,  any  other  than 
as  kindly  feelings  towards  them  as  to  the  people  of  his 
own  section,  and  that  it  was  not  his  purpose  to  withhold 
from  them  any  of  the  benefits  of  the  Constitution,  under  any 
circumstances,  that  he  would  not  feel  himself  constrained 
to  withhold  from  his  own  neighbors ;  and  expressed  the 
hope  that  when  they  should  become  better  acquainted 
they  would  like  each  other  the  more ;  and  again  thank 
ing  them  for  their  kind  reception,  soon  afterwards  with 
drew. 

February  27th.  The  peace  convention  adjourned  with 
out  day,  after  adopting  a  plan  of  adjustment  embracing 
the  restoration  of  the  Missouri  compromise,  a  condi 
tion  respecting  the  acquisition  of  new  territory  which 
made  necessary  the  concurrence  of  a  majority  of  Northern 
and  Southern  senators,  agreeing  that  there  should  be  no 
future  amendments  of  the  Constitution  to  allow  Congress 
to  interfere  with  slavery  in  any  State  or  territory,  etc.,  etc. 

February  28th.  Senator  Crittenden,  of  Kentucky,  pre 
sented  the  recommendations  of  the  peace  convention,  in 
the  Senate,  and  favored  their  adoption. 

Mr.  Corwin's  proposed  amendment  to  the  Constitution, 


48  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

» 

as  adopted  by  the  committee  of  thirty-three,  passed  the 
House  of  Representatives. 

March  2d.  The  new  tariff  bill  signed  by  President  Bu 
chanan. 

March  4th.  Mr.  Corwin's  proposed  amendment  passed 
the  Senate. 

The  thirty-sixth  Congress  adjourned,  sine  die. 

President  Lincoln  was  inaugurated. 

Aside  from  telegraphic  dispatches,  received  by  General 
Scott  and  others,  cautioning  them  to  be  on  the  lookout 
for  gunpowder  plots  at  the  capitol,  and  anonymous  letters 
with  threats  of  personal  violence  to  the  President  on  the 
day  of  his  inauguration,  with  rumors  of  riotous  prepara 
tions  being  made  on  a  large  scale,  nothing  occurred  to 
disturb  the  tranquillity  of  the  President  elect  or  his  friends. 
These  reports,  being  widely  circulated  through  the  public 
press,  brought  together  at  Washington  large  crowds  of 
people,  both  political  and  civil,  who  were  determined  that 
the  inauguration  should  take  place,  and  that  the  Presi 
dent  should  be  protected  at  all  hazards  ;  that  the  people's 
choice  must  take  his  seat  at  the  head  of  the  government  of 
this  great  nation,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they  would. 
Five  hundred  special  police  were  detailed  for  duty  on  the 
fourth  of  March,  and  soldiers  were  stationed  in  the  house 
tops  along  the  line  of  procession,  to  act  as  sharp-shooters  in 
case  of  riotous  proceedings.  The  amplest  civil  and  milita 
ry  preparations  were  made,  by  the  municipal  authorities 
and  General  Scott,  to  provide  for  any  emergency  which 
might  arise.  The  day  of  inauguration,  that  ever-memo 
rable  fourth  of  March,  was  ushered  in  by  a  most  exciting 
session  of  the  Senate,  that  body  sitting  for  twelve  hours, 
from  seven  o'clock  the  previous  evening  to  seven  in  the 
morning ;  and  as  the  dial  of  the  clock,  that  old  admon- 
isher  of  time  and  things  passing  away,  now  told  the  hour 
of  midnight,  and  Sunday  gave  way  to  Monday,  the  fourth 
of  March,  the  Senate  chamber  presented  a  curious  and 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  49 

animated  appearance.  The  galleries  were  crowded  to 
repletion;  the  ladies'  gallery  resembling,  from  the  gay 
dresses  of  the  fair  ones  there  congregated,  some  gorgeous 
parterre  of  flowers  ;  and  the  gentlemen's  gallery  seemed 
one  dense  black  mass  of  surging,  hearing  masculines, 
pushing,  struggling  and  almost  clambering  over  each 
others'  backs  in  order  to  get  a  good  look  at  the  proceed 
ings. 

The  morning  broke  clear  and  beautiful,  and  the  hearts 
of  thousands  upon  thousands  of  freemen,  far  and  near, 
beat  in  rapid  succession,  and  throbbed  wildly  at  the 
thought  of  what  that  day  might  bring  forth,  and  many, 
many,  with  the  gray  dawn  of  the  morning,  wished  that 
day  well  and  peacefully  over.  On  the  floor  of  the  Senate 
Messrs.  Crittenden,  Trumbull,  Wigfall,  Wade,  Douglas, 
and  others,  kept  up  a  rolling  fire  of  debate,  while  those 
not  engaged  in  the  discussion  betook  themselves  to  the 
sofas  for  a  comfortable  nap  during  the  session,  which,  it 
was  known,  would  last  all  night.  As  the  morning  ad 
vanced,  the  galleries  and  floor  became  gradually  cleared 
out,  and  at  eight  o'clock  only  a  few  remained.  The  pub 
lic  buildings,  schools,  and  most  places  of  business,  were 
closed  throughout  the  day ;  the  stars  and  stripes  floated 
from  the  City  Hall,  Capitol,  War  Department  and  other 
public  buildings,  while  not  a  few  of  the  citizens  flung  out 
flags  from  their  houses  or  across  the  principal  avenues. 
From  early  dawn  the  drum  and  fife  could  be  heard  in 
every  quarter  of  the  city,  and  the  streets  were  thronged 
with  the  volunteer  soldiery,  hastening  to  their  respective 
rendezvous.  Three  or  four  hours  elapsed  before  there 
was  the  least  chance  of  entering  the  Capitol.  Pennsylva 
nia  Avenue  was  thronged  with  people  wending  their  way 
to  the  famous  east  front.  For  four  hours  the  crowd 
poured  on,  in  one  continuous  stream  of  old  and  young, 
male  and  female  ;  staid  old  Quakers,  from  Pennsylvania, 
going  to  see  Friend  Abraham;  and  lengthy  Suckers, 
5 


50  THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

Hoosiers  and  Wolverines,  desirous  of  a  peep  at  Mr.  Lin 
coln  ;  Buckeyes  and  Yankees,  men  from  California  and 
Oregon,  from  the  north-east  and  the  north-west,  and  a  few 
from  the  border  States ;  the  large  majority,  however,  were 
Northern  men,  there  being,  apparently,  but  few  Southern 
ers.  Previous  to  the  arrival  of  the  procession,  the  Senate 
chamber  did  not  present  a  very  animated  appearance. 
The  many  ladies  waiting  to  see  the  display  did  not  arrive 
until  late ;  and  the  officers,  whose  gay  uniforms  and  flash 
ing  epaulettes  relieved  so  well  the  sombreness  of  the  na 
tional  black,  were  with  the  Presidential  cortege,  during 
the  passing  of  the  procession  to  Willard's  Hotel  and  the 
march  thence  to  the  Capitol. 

At  five  minutes  to  twelve  o'clock,  Vice-President 
Breckenridge  and  Senator  Foote,  of  the  committee  of 
arrangements,  entered  the  Senate  chamber  escorting  the 
Vice-President  elect,  Hon.  Hannibal  Hamlin,  whom  they 
conducted  to  a  seat  immediately  to  the  left  of  the  chair  of 
the  President  of  the  Senate.  As  the  hands  of  the  clock 
pointed  to  the  hour  of  twelve  the  hammer  fell,  and  the 
second  session  of  the  thirty-sixth  Congress  came  to  an 
end.  Mr.  Breckenridge  announced  the  Senate  adjourned 
without  day,  and  left  the  chair,  to  which  he  immediately 
conducted  Vice-President  Hamlin.  The  foreign  diplo 
matic  corps  also  entered  the  chamber  at  the  same  mo 
ment,  occupying  seats  to  the  right  of  the  chair.  It  was 
a  subject  of  general  remark  that  the  foreign  corps  never 
were  so  fully  represented  as  on  this  occasion.  The  min 
isters,  attaches  and  others,  numbered,  in  all,  above  fifty ; 
and  their  brilliancy  of  dress,  the  number  of  their  decora 
tions,  crapes,  &c.,  added  much  to  the  imposing  nature  of 
the  scene.  Some  of  the  court  uniforms  were  particularly 
gorgeous,  and  attracted  much  attention.  The  attendance 
of  senators  was  unusually  full,  the  only  absences  noticed 
being  those  of  Messrs.  Mason  and  Hunter  of  Virginia.  At 
fifteen  minutes  to  one  o'clock  the  judges  of  the  Supreme 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  51 

Court  of  the  United  States  were  announced  by  the  door 
keeper  of  the  Senate.  On  their  entrance  all  on  the  floor 
arose,  and  the  venerable  judges,  headed  by  Chief  Justice 
Taney,  moved  slowly  across  to  the  seats  assigned  them, 
immediately  to  the  right  of  the  Yice-President,  each  ex 
changing  salutes  with  that  officer  in  passing  the  chair. 
At  ten  minutes  after  one  o'clock  an  unusual  stir  oc 
curred  in  the  chamber,  and  the  rumor  spread  like  wild 
fire  that  the  President  elect  was  in  the  building.  At 
fifteen  minutes  past  one  o'clock  the  marshal  and  chief, 
Major  B.  B.  French,  entered  the  chamber,  ushering  in 
the  President  and  President  elect.  They  had  entered 
together  from  the  street  through  a  private  covered  pas 
sage-way,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Capitol,  police  officers 
being  in  attendance  to  prevent  outsiders  from  crowding 
after  them.  The  line  of  procession  was  then  formed,  as 
follows  :  —  Marshal  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  and  sergeant-at-arms,  Senate  com- 
mitee  of  arrangements,  President  of  the  United  States 
and  President  elect,  Vice-President,  Secretary  of  the  Sen 
ate,  senators,  diplomatic  corps,  heads  of  the  departments, 
governors  and  others  in  the  chambers.  When  the  word 
was  given  for  members  of  the  House  to  fall  into  the  line 
of  procession  a  violent  rush  was  made  for  the  door,  ac 
companied  by  loud  outcries,  violent  pushing  and  great 
disturbance.  After  the  procession  had  reached  the  plat 
form,  Senator  Baker,  of  Oregon,  introduced  Mr.  Lincoln 
to  the  assembly.  On  Mr.  Lincoln's  advancing  to  the 
stand  he  was  cheered,  but  not  very  loudly.  Unfolding 
his  manuscript,  in  a  loud,  clear  voice  he  read  his  message. 
During  the  delivery  of  the  inaugural,  which  began  at 
half-past  one  o'clock,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  much  cheered, 
especially  at  any  allusion  to  the  Union. 

President  Buchanan  and  Chief  Justice  Taney  listened 
with  the  utmost  attention  to  every  word  of  the  address, 
and,  at  its  conclusion,  the  latter  administered  the  usual 


52  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

oath,  in  answering  to  which  Mr.  Lincoln  was  vociferously 
cheered.  The  present  inauguration  is  the  eighth  ceremo 
ny  of  the  kind  at  which  Chief  Justice  Taney  has  officiated, 
having  administered  the  oath  of  office,  successively,  to 
Presidents  Van  Buren,  Tyler,  Polk,  Taylor,  Fillmore, 
Pierce,  Buchanan  and  Lincoln.  The  ceremony  was  ex 
ceedingly  impressive.  The  Chief  Justice  seemed  to  be 
very  much  agitated,  and  his  hands  shook  very  perceptibly 
with  emotion.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  ceremonies  the 
President  was  escorted  to  the  Senate  chamber,  thence  to 
his  carriage,  and  the  military,  forming  as  in  the  proces 
sion  of  the  morning,  accompanied  him,  with  the  commit 
tee  of  arrangements,  to  the  White  House.  On  reaching 
the  executive  mansion  the  troops  formed  in  double  line, 
on  Maine  Avenue,  and  the  barouche  containing  the  Presi 
dential  party  passed  through  to  the  White  House.  Mr. 
Buchanan  accompanied  Mr.  Lincoln  to  the  main  hall, 
and  there  took  a  farewell  leave  of  him,  expressing  a  hope, 
in  cordial  terms,  that  his  administration  might  prove  a 
happy  and  a  prosperous  one.  The  ex-President  then  re 
tired.  On  the  arrival  of  the  procession  at  the  White 
House  the  marshals  were  successively  introduced  to  Mr. 
Lincoln,  and  then,  the  line  being  formed,  the  rush  of 
people  to  congratulate  the  new  President  was  exceedingly 
great.  Thus  ended,  for  the  day-time,  the  inaugural  cer 
emonies. 

Though  the  enthusiasm  did  not  equal  that  manifested 
on  former  occasions,  everything  passed  off  quietly.  The 
most  ample  civil  and  military  preparations  were  made,  by 
the  municipal  authorities  and  General  Scott,  to  provide 
for  any  emergency  that  might  arise.  The  various  bodies 
of  United  States  troops  at  Washington  were  stationed  in 
different  parts  of  the  city,  the  sappers  and  miners  alone 
being  in  the  procession.  General  Scott,  it  is  said,  was 
near  the  Capitol,  with  Capt.  Barry's  company  of  artillery 
and  Major  Harkin's  command,  acting  as  infantry.  Offi- 


THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  53 

cers  reported  continually,  passing  to  and  fro,  and  it  is 
said  the  General  was  heard  to  exclaim,  —  "  Everything  is 
going  on  peaceably  ;  thank  God  Almighty  for  it !  "  Dur 
ing  the  day  military  patrols  were  on  duty  all  over  the 
city,  and  the  greatest  vigilance  was  enjoined  upon  and 
observed  by  the  regulars. 

The  display  of  soldiery  in  the  procession  was  very 
fine,  but  not  equal  to  the  22d  of  February.  The  com 
panies  were  quite  numerous,  but  of  small  size.  As  a  rule 
the  Republican  associations  were  placed  in  the  order  of 
march  immediately  after  the  ex-President.  These  or 
ganizations  had  with  them  a  kind  of  triumphal  car,  drawn 
by  four  white  horses,  each  of  which  was  covered  with 
white  cloth  on  which  was  the  word  "  Union "  in  large 
letters  on  one  side,  and  the  word  "  Constitution  "  on  the 
other.  The  car  was  decorated  with  miniature  flags,  and 
white,  red  and  blue  drapery,  and  contained  thirty-four 
little  girls,  representing  the  States,  and  two  young  ladies, 
respectively  representing  the  North  and  the  South.  The 
whole  affair  was  under  the  charge  of  ten  Wide-A wakes,  in 
full  uniform.  Five  hundred  delegates  from  New  York 
marched  in  the  procession,  four  abreast.  Several  other 
large  delegations  also  joined  the  line. 

The  scene  from  the  east  front  was  very  fine.  The  ave 
nue  in  front  of  the  portico  was  thronged  with  people,  the 
crowd  extending  a  great  distance  on  either  side,  and 
reaching  far  into  the  Capitol  grounds.  Every  available 
spot  was  black  with  human  beings  ;  boys  and  men  cling 
ing  to  rails,  and  mounting  on  fences,  and  climbing  trees, 
until  they  bent  beneath  their  weight.  On  the  outer  edge 
of  the  concourse,  the  volunteer  soldiery  stood  at  rest  dur 
ing  the  delivery  of  the  inaugural.  A  great  number  of 
flags  were  flying,  and  as  the  sun  shone  brightly  on  the 
gay  dresses  of  the  ladies,  and  the  uniforms  and  glittering 
weapons  of  the  soldiery,  the  scene  was  exceedingly  ani 
mated. 

5* 


THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 


It  is  not  my  purpose,  at  this  time,  to  give  in  detail  the 
inaugural  address  of  President  Lincoln,  or  enter  into  the 
minutiae  of  that  official  document  as  a  whole,  but  only 
that  part  of  it  which  pertains  to  our  affairs  with  the 
South  and  treats  on  the  alleged  causes  of  secession, 
which  I  copy  verbatim. 

Extracts  from  the  inaugural  address  of  President  Lin 
coln,  delivered  March  4th,  1861 :  — 

"Fellow-Citizens  of  the  United  States :  —  In  compliance 
with  a  custom  as  old  as  the  government  itself  I  appear 
before  you  to  address  you  briefly,  and  to  take,  in  your 
presence,  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  to  be  taken  by  the  President  before  he 
enters  on  the  execution  of  the  duties  of  his  office.  I  do 
not  consider  it  necessary,  at  present,  for  me  to  discuss 
those  matters  of  administration  about  which  there  is  fto 
special  anxiety  or  excitement.  Apprehension  seems  to 
exist  among  the  people  of  the  Southern  States  that,  by 
the  accession  of  a  Republican  administration,  their  prop 
erty  and  their  permanent  peace  and  security  are  to  be 
endangered.  There  has  never  been  any  reasonable  cause 
for  such  apprehension.  Indeed,  the  most  ample  evidence 
to  the  contrary  has  all  the  while  existed,  and  been  open 
to  their  inspection.  It  is  found  in  nearly  all  the  pub 
lished  speeches  of  him  who  now  addresses  you.  I  do  but 
quote  from  one  of  those  speeches  when  I  declare  that  I 
have  no  purpose,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  interfere  with 
the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  States  where  it  now  ex 
ists.  I  believe  I  have  no  lawful  right  to  do  so,  and  I 
have  no  inclination  to  do  so.  Those  who  nominated  and 
elected  me  did  so  with  full  knowledge  that  I  had  made 
this  and  many  similar  declarations,  and  had  never  recant 
ed  them ;  and,  more  than  this,  they  placed  in  the  platform 
for  my  acceptance,  and  as  a  law  to  themselves  and  to  me, 
the  clear  and  emphatic  resolution  which  I  now  read :  — 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  maintenance  inviolate  of  the  rights 


THE  REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  55 

of  the  States,  and  especially  the  right  of  each  State  to 
order  and  control  its  own  domestic  institutions  according 
to  its  own  judgment  exclusively,  is  essential  to  that  bal 
ance  of  power  on  which  the  perfection  and  endurance  of 
our  political  fabric  depend  ;  and  we  denounce  the  lawless 
invasion,  by  an  armed  force,  of  any  State  or  territory,  no 
matter  under  what  pretext,  as  the  greatest  of  crimes.' 

"  I  now  reiterate  these  sentiments,  and  in  doing  so  I 
only  press  upon  the  public  attention  the  most  conclusive 
evidence  of  which  the  case  is  susceptible,  that  the  prop 
erty,  peace  and  security  of  no  section  are  to  be  in  any 
wise  endangered  by  the  now  incoming  administration.  I 
add,  too,  that  all  the  protection  which,  consistently  with 
the  Constitution  and  laws,  can  be  given,  will  be  cheerfully 
given  to  all  the  States,  when  lawfully  demanded,  for 
whatever  cause,  as  cheerfully  to  one  section  as  to  another. 
There  is  much  controversy  about  the  delivering  up  of 
fugitives  from  service  or  labor.  The  clause  I  now  read 
is  as  plainly  written  in  the  Constitution  as  any  other  of  its 
provisions :  — 

"  '  No  person  held  to  service  or  labor  in  one  State,  under 
the  laws  thereof,  escaping  into  another,  shall  in  conse 
quence  of  any  law  or  regulation  therein  be  discharged 
from  such  service  or  labor,  but  shall  be  delivered  up  on 
claim  of  the  party  to  whom  such  service  or  labor  may  be 
due.' 

"  It  is  scarcely  questioned  that  this  provision  was  intend 
ed  by  those  who  made  it  for  the  reclaiming  of  what  we 
call  fugitive  slaves ;  and  the  intention  of  the  law-givers  is 
the  law.  All  members  of  Congress  swear  their  support 
to  the  whole  Constitution,  —  to  this  provision  as  much 
as  any  other.  To  the  proposition,  then,  that  slaves 
whose  cases  come  within  the  terms  of  this  clause  shall  be 
delivered  up,  their  oaths  are  unanimous.  Now  if  they 
would  make  the  effort,  in  good  temper,  would  they  not,  with 
equal  unanimity,  frame  and  pass  a  law  by  means  of  which 


56  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

to  keep  good  that  unanimous  oath  ?  There  is  some  differ 
ence  of  opinion  whether  this  clause  should  be  enforced  by 
national  or  State  authority ;  but,  surely,  that  difference  is 
not  a  very  material  one.  If  the  slave  is  to  be  surrendered, 
it  can  be  of  but  little  consequence,  to  him  or  to  others, 
by  what  authority  it  is  done  ;  and  should  any  one,  in  any 
case,  be  content  that  his  oaths  should  go  unkept,  on  a 
merely  unsubstantial  controversy  as  to  how  it  shall  be 
kept  ? 

"Again,  in  any  law  upon  this  subject,  ought  not  all  the 
safeguards  of  liberty,  known  in  civilized  and  humane  ju 
risprudence,  to  be  introduced,  so  that  a  free  man  be  not  in 
any  case  surrendered  as  a  slave ;  and  might  it  not  be  well, 
at  the  same  time,  to  provide  by  law  for  the  enforcement 
of  that  clause  in  the  Constitution  which  guarantees  that 
the  citizens  of  each  State  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  privi 
leges  and  immunities  of  citizens  in  the  several  States  ? 
I  take  the  official  oath,  to-day,  with  no  mental  reserva 
tions,  and  with  no  purpose  to  control  the  Constitution  or 
laws  by  any  hypercritical  rules;  and,  while  I  do  not 
choose  now  to  specify  particular  acts  of  Congress  as 
proper  to  be  enforced,  I  do  suggest  that  it  will  be  much 
safer  for  all,  both  in  official  and  private  stations,  to  con 
form  to  and  abide  by  all  those  acts  that  stand  unrepealed, 
than  to  violate  any  of  them  trusting  to  find  impunity  in 
having  them  held  to  be  unconstitutional. 

"  It  is  seventy-two  years  since  the  first  inauguration  of  a 
President  under  our  national  Constitution.  During  that 
period  fifteen  different  and  greatly  distinguished  citizens 
have,  in  succession,  administered  the  executive  branch 
of  government.  They  have  conducted  it  through  many 
perils,  and  generally  with  great  success  ;  yet  with  all  this 
scope  for  precedent,  I  now  enter  upon  the  same  task,  for 
the  brief  constitutional  term  of  four  years,  under  grave 
and  peculiar  difficulties. 

"  A  disruption  of  the  federal  Union,  heretofore  only 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


57 


menaced,  is  now  formidably  attempted.  I  hold  that,  in 
contemplation  of  universal  law  and  of  the  Constitution, 
the  Union  of  these  States  is  perpetual.  Perpetuity  is 
implied,  if  not  expressed,  in  the  fundamental  law  of  all 
national  governments  ;  it  is  safe  to  assert  that  no  govern 
ment  proper  ever  had  a  provision  in  its  organic  law  for 
its  own  termination.  Continue  to  execute  all  the  express 
provisions  of  our  national  Constitution,  and  the  Union 
will  endure  forever,  it  being  impossible  to  destroy  it  ex 
cept  by  some  action  not  provided  for  in  the  instrument 
itself. 

"Again,  if  the  United  States  be  not  a  government  proper, 
but  an  association  of  States,  in  the  nature  of  a  compact 
merely,  can  it  as  a  compact  be  peaceably  unmade,  by  less 
than  all  the  parties  who  made  it  ?  One  party  to  a  compact 
may  violate  it,  break  it,  so  to  speak,  but  does  it  not  re 
quire  all  to  lawfully  rescind  it  ?  Descending  from  these 
general  principles,  we  find  the  proposition,  that  in  legal 
contemplation  the  Union  is  perpetual,  confirmed  by  the 
history  of  the  Union  itself.  The  Union  is  much  older 
than  the  Constitution ;  it  was  formed,  in  fact,  by  the 
articles  of  association,  in  1774 ;  it  was  matured  and  con 
tinued  by  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in  1776 ;  it 
was  further  matured,  and  the  faith  of  all  the  then  thir 
teen  States  expressly  plighted  and  engaged  that  it  should 
be  perpetual,  by  the  Articles  of  Confederation  in  1778, 
and,  finally,  in  1789. 

"  One  of  the  declared  objects  for  ordaining  and  establish 
ing  the  Constitution  was  to  form  a  more  perfect  Union  ; 
but  if  destruction  by  one,  or  by  a  part  only,  of  the  States 
be  lawfully  possible,  the  Union  is  less  than  before  the 
Constitution,  having  lost  the  vital  element  of  perpetuity. 
It  follows  from  these  views  that  no  State,  upon  its  own 
mere  motion,  can  lawfully  get  out  of  the  Union  ;  that 
resolves  or  ordinances  to  that  effect  are  legally  void,  and 
'that  acts  of  violence,  within  any  State  or  States,  against 


58  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

the  authority  of  the  United  States,  are  insurrectionary  or 
revolutionary,  according  to  circumstances.  I  therefore 
consider  that,  in  view  of  the  Constitution  and  the  laws, 
the  Union  is  unbroken ;  and  to  the  extent  of  my  ability 
I  shall  take  care,  as  the  Constitution  itself  expressly  enjoins 
upon  me,  that  the  laws  of  the  Union  be  faithfully  exe 
cuted  in  all  the  States.  Doing  this  I  deem  to  be  only  a 
simple  duty  on  my  part,  and  shall  perform  it  so  far  as 
practicable,  unless  my  rightful  masters,  the  American 
people,  shall  withdraw  the  requisition,  or  in  some  author 
itative  manner  direct  the  contrary.  I  trust  this  will  not 
be  regarded  as  a  menace,  but  only  as  the  declared  pur 
pose  of  the  Union,  that  it  will  constitutionally  defend 
and  maintain  itself.  In  doing  this  there  needs  to  be  no 
bloodshed  or  violence,  and  there  shall  be  none,  unless  it 
be  forced  upon  the  national  authority. 

"  The  power  confided  to  me  will  be  used  to  hold,  occupy 
and  possess  the  property  and  places  belonging  to  the  gov 
ernment,  and  collect  the  duties  and  imposts ;  but,  beyond 
what  may  be  necessary  for  these  objects,  there  will  be  no 
invasion,  no  urging  of  force  against  or  among  the  people, 
anywhere.  Where  hostility  to  the  United  States,  in  any 
interior  territory,  shall  be  so  great  and  so  universal  as  to 
prevent  the  competent  resident  citizens  from  holding  the 
federal  offices,  there  will  be  no  attempt  to  force  obnoxious 
strangers  among  people  that  object.  While  the  strict 
legal  right  may  exist  for  the  government  to  enforce  the 
exercise  of  those  offices,  the  attempt  to  do  so  would  be  so 
irritating,  and  so  nearly  impracticable  withal,  that  I  deem 
it  better  to  forego,  for  the  time,  the  uses  of  such  offices. 

"  The  mails,  unless  repelled,  will  continue  to  be  furnished 
in  all  parts  of  the  Union,  so  far  as  possible.  The  people, 
everywhere,  shall  have  that  sense  of  perfect  security  which 
is  most  favorable  to  calm  thought  and  reflection.  The 
course  here  indicated  will  be  followed,  unless  current 
events  and  experience  shall  show  a  modification  or  change 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  59 

to  be  proper,  and  in  every  case  and  exigency  my  best 
discretion  will  be  exercised,  according  to  circumstances 
actually  existing,  and  with  a  view  and  a  hope  to  a  peace 
ful  solution  of  the  national  trouble  and  the  restoration  of 
fraternal  sympathies  and  affections. 

"  That  there  are  persons,  in  one  section  or  another,  who 
seek  to  destroy  the  Union  at  all  events,  and  are  glad  of 
any  pretext  to  do  it,  I  will  neither  affirm  nor  deny ;  but 
if  there  should  be  such  I  need  address  no  word  to  them. 
To  those,  however,  who  really  love  the  Union,  may  I  not 
speak  ?  Before  entering  upon  so  grave  a  matter  as  the 
destruction  of  our  national  fabric,  with  all  its  benefits, 
its  memories  and  its  hopes,  would  it  not  be  well  to  ascer 
tain  precisely  why  we  do  it  ?  Will  you  hazard  so  desper 
ate  a  step,  while  there  is  any  possibility  that  any  portion 
of  the  ills  that  you  fly  from  have  no  real  existence? 
Will  you,  while  the  certain  ills  you  fly  to  are  greater  than 
all  the  real  ills  you  fly  from,  will  you  risk  the  commission 
of  so  fearful  a  mistake  ? 

"All  profess  to  be  content  in  the  Union  if  all  constitu 
tional  rights  can  be  maintained.  Is  it  true,  then,  that 
any  right  plainly  written  in  the  Constitution  has  been 
denied  ?  I  think  not.  Happily  the  human  mind  is  so 
constituted  that  no  party  can  reach  the  audacity  of  doing 
this.  Think,  if  you  can,  of  a  single  instance  in  which  a 
plainly-written  provision  of  the  Constitution  has  ever 
been  denied. 

"  One  section  of  our  country  believes  slavery  is  right,  and 
ought  to  be  extended,  while  the  other  believes  it  is  wrong 
and  ought  not  to  be  extended ;  this  is  the  only  substan 
tial  dispute.  The  fugitive  slave  clause  of  the  Constitu 
tion,  and  the  law  for  the  suppression  of  the  foreign  slave- 
trade,  are  each  as  well  enforced,  perhaps,  as  any  law  can 
ever  be  in  a  community  where  the  moral  sense  of  the 
people  imperfectly  supports  the  law  itself.  The  great 
body  of  the  people  abide  by  the  dry  legal  obligation  in 


60  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

both  cases,  and  a  few  break  over  in  each.  This,  I  think, 
cannot  be  perfectly  cured,  and  it  would  be  worse,  in  both 
cases,  after  the  separation  of  the  sections,  than  before. 
The  foreign  slave-trade,  now  imperfectly  suppressed,  would 
be  ultimately  revived  without  restriction  in  one  section, 
while  fugitive  slaves,  now  only  partially  surrendered, 
would  not  be  surrendered  at  all  by  the  other.  Physically 
speaking,  we  cannot  separate ;  we  cannot  remove  our 
respective  sections  from  each  other,  nor  build  an  impass 
able  wall  between  them.  A  husband  and  wife  may  be 
divorced  and  go  out  of  the  presence  and  beyond  the  reach 
of  each  other ;  but  the  different  parties  of  our  country 
cannot  do  this.  They  cannot  but  remain  face  to  face, 
and  intercourse  —  either  amiable  or  hostile  relations  — 
must  continue  between  them.  Is  it  possible,  then,  to 
make  that  intercourse  more  advantageous  or  more  satis 
factory  after  separation  than  before  ?  Can  aliens  make 
treaties  easier  than  friends  can  make  laws  ?  Can  treaties 
be  more  faithfully  enforced  between  aliens  than  laws 
among  friends  ?  Suppose  you  go  to  war,  you  cannot 
fight  always ;  and  when,  after  much  loss  on  both  sides 
and  no  gain  on  either,  you  cease  fighting,  the  identical 
questions,  as  to  terms  of  intercourse,  are  again  upon  you. 
"  This  country,  with  its  institutions,  belongs  to  the  peo 
ple  who  inhabit  it.  Whenever  they  shall  grow  weary  of 
the  existing  government  they  can  exercise  their  constitu 
tional  right  of  amending,  or  their  revolutionary  right  to 
dismember  or  overthrow  it.  I  cannot  be  ignorant  of  the 
fact  that  many  worthy  and  patriotic  citizens  are  desirous 
of  having  the  national  Constitution  amended.  While  I 
make  no  recommendation  of  amendment,  I  fully  recog 
nize  the  authority  of  the  people  over  the  whole  subject,  to 
be  exercised  in  either  of  the  modes  prescribed  in  the  in 
strument  itself;  and  I  should,  under  existing  circum 
stances,  favor  rather  than  oppose  a  fair  opportunity  being 
offered  the  people  to  act  upon  it. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  61 

"  I  will  venture  to  add  that,  to  me,  the  convention  mode 
seems  preferable,  in  that  it  allows  amendments  to  origin 
ate  with  the  people  themselves,  instead  of  only  permitting 
them  to  take  a  proposition  originated  by  others,  not 
especially  chosen  for  the  purpose,  and  which  might  not  be 
precisely  such  as  they  would  wish  to  either  accept  or  refuse. 

"  I  understand  a  proposed  amendment  to  the  Constitu 
tion,  which  amendment  I  have  not  seen,  has  passed  Con 
gress,  to  the  effect  that  the  federal  government  shall  never 
interfere  with  the  domestic  institutions  of  the  States,  in 
cluding  that  of  persons  held  to  service.  To  avoid  mis 
construction  of  what  I  have  said,  I  depart  from  my  pur 
pose  not  to  speak  of  particular  amendments  so  far  as  to 
say,  that,  holding  such  a  provision  to  be  now  implied  con 
stitutional  law,  I  have  no  objection  to  its  being  made  ex 
press  and  irrevocable. 

"  The  chief  magistrate  derives  all  his  authority  from 
the  people,  and  they  have  conferred  none  upon  him 
to  fix  terms  for  the  separation  of  the  States  ;  the  people 
themselves  can  do  this  alone,  if  they  choose,  but  the 
Executive,  as  such,  has  nothing  to  do  with  it.  His 
duty  is  to  administer  the  present  government,  as  it  came 
to  his  hands,  and  to  transmit  it  unimpaired  by  him  to  his 
successor. 

"  Why  should  there  not  be  a  patient  confidence  in  the 
ultimate  justice  of  the  people  ?  Is  there  any  better  or 
equal  hope  in  the  world?  In  our  present  differences 
is  either  party  without  faith  of  being  right  ?  If  the  Al 
mighty  Ruler  of  Nations,  with  his  eternal  truth  and  jus 
tice,  be  on  your  side  of  the  North,  or  on  yours  of  the 
South,  that  truth  and  that  justice  will  surely  prevail,  by 
the  judgment  of  this  great  tribunal  —  the  American 
people. 

"  By  the  frame  of  government  under  which  we  live,  the 
same  people  have  wisely  given  their  public  servants  but 
little  power  for  mischief,  and  have,  with  equal  wisdom, 


62  THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

provided  for  the  return  of  that  little  to  their  own  hands, 
at  very  short  intervals.  While  the  people  retain  virtue 
and  vigilance,  no  administration  of  any  extreme  of  wick 
edness  or  folly  can  very  seriously  injure  the  government 
in  the  short  space  of  four  years. 

"  My  countrymen,  one  and  all ;  think  calmly  and  well 
upon  this  whole  subject.  Nothing  valuable  can  be  lost 
by  taking  time.  If  there  be  an  object  to  hurry  any  of 
you,  in  hot  haste,  to  a  step  which  you  would  never  take 
deliberately,  that  object  will  be  frustrated  by  taking  time  ; 
but  no  good  object  can  be  frustrated  by  it.  Such  of  you 
as  are  now  dissatisfied  still  have  the  old  Constitution 
unimpaired,  and,  on  the  sensitive  point,  the  laws  of  your 
own  framing  under  it ;  while  the  new  administration  have 
no  immediate  power,  if  it  would,  to  change  either.  If  it 
were  admitted  that  you  who  are  dissatisfied  hold  the  right 
side  in  the  dispute,  there  is  still  no  single  good  cause  for 
precipitate  action. 

"  Intelligence,  patriotism,  Christianity  and  a  firm  reliance 
on  Him  who  has  never  yet  forsaken  this  favored  land,  are 
still  competent  to  adjust,  in  the  best  way,  all  our  present 
difficulties.  In  your  hands,  my  dissatisfied  fellow-coun 
trymen,  and  not  in  mine,  is  the  momentous  issue  of  civil 
war.  The  government  will  not  assail  you.  You  can 
have  no  conflict  without  being  yourselves  the  aggressors. 
You  have  no  oath  registered  in  heaven  to  destroy  the 
government,  while  I  shall  have  the  most  solemn  one  to 
preserve,  protect  and  defend  it. 

"  I  am  loth  to  close ;  we  are  not  enemies,  but  friends  ;  we 
must  not  be  enemies.  Though  passion  may  have  strained, 
it  must  not  break  our  bonds  of  affection.  The  mystic 
chords  of  memory,  stretching  from  every  battle-field  and 
patriot  grave  to  every  living  heart  and  hearth-stone,  all 
over  this  broad  land,  will  yet  swell  the  chorus  of  the 
Union  when  again  touched,  as  surely  they  will  be,  by  the 
better  angels  of  our  nature." 


THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  63 

Mr.  Lincoln's  delivery  was  good,  with  but  little  gesture 
and  small  pretence  of  oratory,  yet  it  fell  upon  the  ear  like 
right  words,  well  spoken ;  and  as  he  uttered  the  closing 
sentence  of  the  address,  a  loud  and  still  louder  and  more 
prolonged  cheer  announced  that  the  inaugural  was  deliv 
ered,  and  the  long,  fearful  struggle  was  over,  and  a  re 
publican  President  safely  inaugurated ;  and  not  even  with 
the  close  of  the  ceremony  did  the  curious  cease  to  specu 
late  as  to  the  probabilities  and  chances  of  his  assassina 
tion,  which  was  confidently  expected,  though  of  course 
greatly  to  be  dreaded,  followed  as  it  would  be  by  riot, 
panic,  and  an  immediate  necessity  for  a  display  of  force. 

But  that  brave  old  veteran,  General  Scott,  was  prepared 
for  any  emergency,  and  three  minutes  would  have  found 
artillery,  cavalry  and  infantry  ready  at  their  posts  to  put 
down  insurrection  and  protect  the  national  capital,  at  all 
hazards.  But  the  day  passed  off  peaceably,  and  no  foul 
deed  was  done  to  stain  our  country's  honor. 

Mr.  Lincoln,  on  being  asked  whether  he  felt  at  all 
frightened  while  delivering  his  inaugural  address,  the 
threats  of  assassination  having  been  so  numerous,  replied 
that  he  had  no  such  sensation,  and  that  he  had  often  ex 
perienced  much  greater  fear  in  addressing  a  dozen  West 
ern  men  on  the  subject  of  temperance. 

The  delivery  of  the  message  commenced  at  1.30  P.  M., 
and  at  four  o'clock  it  had  been  telegraphed  to  all  the 
principal  cities,  and  was  in  the  hands  of  all  the  agents  of 
the  associated  press. 

The  inaugural  of  President  Lincoln  met  with  very  general 
commendation  throughout  the  free  States.  The  journals 
that  give  voice  to  the  popular  feeling  praise  the  candor, 
ability,  and  firm  yet  conciliatory  spirit,  of  the  address, 
while  a  few  papers,  politically  opposed  to  the  President, 
condemn,  though  faintly,  its  leading  features.  But  he 
will  be  sustained  by  the  great  mass  of  the  people,  whose 
sentiments  he  has  so  truly  reflected.  In  speaking  of  the 


64  THE  EEBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

address,  a  Providence  paper  contains  the  following  brief 
paragraph :  — 

"  His  honest,  simple,  straight-forward  declarations  of 
fidelity  to  the  spirit  of  our  government  and  Constitution 
must  commend  themselves  to  all,  and  awaken  a  response 
in  every  patriotic  heart.  No  language  could  be  chosen 
which  would  more  strongly  and  unequivocally  express  the 
resolve  to  respect  the  rights  of  the  South,  to  let  slavery  in 
the  States  utterly  alone,  to  fulfil  the  constitutional  obli 
gation  respecting  fugitive  slaves,  and  to  treat  with  the 
utmost  kindness  the  citizens  of  the  Southern  States,  than 
that  which  the  President  employs." 

And,  again,  a  Newburyport  paper  says:  —  "President 
Lincoln's  inaugural  will  be  read  by  all.  It  will  be  ad 
mired  by  every  patriot  in  the  land.  It  is  a  glorious  mes 
sage —  words  of  wisdom,  of  conciliation,  of  peace;  yes, 
and  as  brave  and  firm  as  pacific.  It  has  about  it  nothing 
noisy,  declamatory  and  boisterous  ;  it  bears  upon  its  every 
line  the  calmness  of  self-reliant  truth,  and  it  carries  with 
it  a  consciousness  of  strength  that  can  afford  to  bear  and 
forbear,  and  yet  possess  the  power,  when  necessary,  to 
assert  and  maintain  the  right." 

March  22d.  Dr.  Fox,  of  the  navy,  visited  Major*Ander- 
son,  as  a  special  messenger  of  government. 

March  25th.  Col.  Lamon,  government  messenger,  had 
an  interview  with  Governor  Pickens  and  General  Beaure- 
gard. 

April  3d.  Long  cabinet  meeting  on  Fort  Sumtcr  busi 
ness.  Great  activity  in  the  navy  department. 

We  have  thus  far,  the  reader  will  see,  given  only  the 
Northern  side  of  the  question ;  we  now  propose  to  retrace 
our  steps  and  give  an  account  of  the  movements  in  the 
Southern  States  during  the  same  period, —  thinking  this 
mode  preferable,  as  the  commingling  of  events  would  dis 
tract  our  readers,  and  cause  them  to  partially  lose  sight 
of  the  chain  of  proceedings  on  either  side. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

In  vain  is  the  strife  :  when  its  fury  is  past, 
Their  fortunes  must  flow  in  one  channel  at  last, 
As  the  torrents  that  rush  from  the  mountains  of  snow 
Eoll,  mingled  in  peace,  through  the  valleys  below. 

ATLANTIC  MONTHLY. 

NOTHING  can  be  more  absurd  than  the  claim  that  the 
success  of  the  Republican  party  has  brought  about  the 
present  condition  of  affairs  at  the  South.  That  the  wick 
edness,  incompetency  and  inability  of  the  last  administra 
tion  constitute  one  of  the  principal  causes  of  the  existing 
national  troubles  and  peril,  is  evident  enough  to  all  hon 
est-minded  and  intelligent  citizens ;  and  that  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States,  especially,  has  been  weighed  in 
the  balance  and  found  wanting,  is  a  truth  mournfully  ob 
vious  to  the  whole  people  of  the  land. 

The  fire-eaters  at  the  South  have  contributed  their  full 
share  towards  the  mischief.  The  Rhetts  of  South  Caroli 
na,  and  the  Wendell  Phillipses  of  Boston,  who  regard  the 
Union  as  "a  league  with  hell  and  a  covenant  with  death," 
can  boast  that  they  have  "  labored  faithfully  for  twenty 
years  "  to  dissever  the  bonds  which  fasten  together  our 
glorious  Union.  The  Greeleys,  John  Browns,  and  others 
of  the  Beecher  school  have  contributed  their  mite  towards 
discord  and  disunion,  while  the  reverend  Beecher  and 
other  electioneering  parsons,  who  prostitute  the  pulpit  to 
partisan  politics,  and  use  the  influence  which  belongs  to 
ministers  of  the  gospel  for  political  purposes,  have  con 
stantly  fanned  the  flame,  and  kept  it  alive,  which  might 
ere  this,  if  left  to  itself,  have  become  extinct. 

6*  65 


66  THE   EEBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

When,  in  these  Northern  States,  we  enter  the  church  ded 
icated  to  Almighty  God,  where  we  expect  to  hear  preached 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  "  peace  on  earth  and  good-will 
to  men,"  we  find  the  pulpit  has  been  prostituted  for  the 
purpose  of  enlisting  its  adherents  and  hearers  in  this  anti- 
slavery  crusade  against  the  South,  as  a  part  and  parcel  of 
its  religious  teachings,  berating  and  condemning  our  South 
ern  brethren  because  they  happen  to  be  born  in  a  land 
where  there  exists  an  institution  which  they  themselves 
had  no  hand  in  establishing. 

The  prevailing  idea  entertained  by  most  of  the  leading 
statesmen,  at  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  Constitu 
tion,  was  that  the  enslavement  of  the  African  was  in  vio 
lation  of  the  laws  of  nature.  It  was  an  evil  they  knew 
not  well  how  to  deal  with ;  but  the  general  opinion  of  the 
men  of  that  day  was,  that  somehow  or  other,  in  the  order 
of  Providence,  the  institution  would  be  evanescent,  and 
pass  away. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written,  by  the  extremists  of 
the  abolition  party,  which  has  served  to  inflame  the  hot 
blood  of  the  South,  who  receive  it,  and  without  investiga 
tion  charge  it  upon  the  North,  as  the  ruling  sentiment  of 
the  people ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  the  oft-repeated  asser 
tion  of  the  South,  of  injuries  received  and  wrongs  perpe 
trated,  is  a  mere  fallacy  to  assist  in  the  work  of  dis 
union. 

The  real  work  has  been  accomplished  by  temporizing 
politicians,  who  have  sought  for  momentary  local  success 
in  catering  to  a  deluded  populace,  but  have  falsely  calcu 
lated  upon  being  able  to  control  the  storm  ere  it  should 
prove  destructive.  While  we  would  condemn  the  course 
pursued  by  Northern  politicians  and  ultra  abolitionists, 
for  their  aggressions  on  slavery,  we  see  no  just  or  reason 
able  cause  for  the  action  of  the  South,  or  why  fears  need 
be  entertained  for  their  constitutional  rights. 

The  Vice-President  of  the  Confederate  States,  Mr.  A. 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  G7 

H.  Stevens,  in  a  speech  made  at  Savannah,  March  21st, 
1861, says : — 

"  The  Constitution,  it  is  trae,  secures  every  essential 
guarantee  to  the  institution  (slavery)  while  it  should  last, 
and  hence  no  argument  can  be  justly  used  against  the 
constitutional  guarantees  thus  secured,  because  of  the 
common  sentiment  of  the  day." 

The  secession  movement,  which  took  form  and  consis 
tency  by  the  action  of  South  Carolina  immediately  after 
the  election  of  Lincoln,  was  not  the  conception  of  an  hour  ; 
it  was  not  the  result  of  the  election  of  a  Republican  Presi 
dent  ;  it  was  not  that  the  Constitution  gave  them  no  rights, 
or  equality  in  the  Union  ;  it  was  not  the  result  of  wrongs 
inflicted  upon  the  South  by  the  free  States ;  nor  was  it  the 
agitation  of  the  slavery  question,  which  have  brought  upon 
us  the  horrors  of  fratricidal  war.  Th*e  prime  moving 
cause  is  ambition,  —  the  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
the  balance  of  power;  —  that  sordid  ambition  which 
would  prompt  them  to  force  their  way  into  the  highest 
positions  of  power,  even  though  it  lay  over  heaps  of  the 
slain  and  through  seas  of  blood,  and  then  weep,  like  Al 
exander,  because  they  had  not  another  world  to  conquer. 

This  is  the  pervading  spirit  of  Southern  partisan  leaders, 
who  would,  Judas-like,  sell  their  country  for  filthy  lucre  ; 
yet  their  keen  perceptive  faculties  told  them  they  must 
have  an  excuse,  and  in  order  to  give  the  rebellion  a  sem 
blance  of  justice  they  made  the  slavery  question  their 
pretence  ;  and  the  election  of  Lincoln,  with  his  Republican 
principles,  afforded  them  a  single  thread  on  which  to  sus 
pend  their  operations. 

In  1850,  when  the  slavery  question  was  agitated,  and 
trouble  was  anticipated  therefrom,  a  gentleman  from 
Boston  asked  General  Houston  how  it  could  be  settled. 
The  General  replied, —  "You  go  North  and  shoot  six 
men,  and  I  will  go  South  and  shoot  half-a-dozen,  then, 
I  think,  things  will  go  on  quietly." 


68  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

The  love  of  the  Union  was  so  strong  in  the  majority  of 
Southern  hearts,  the  disinclination  to  encounter  the  haz 
ards  of  a  revolution  so  apparent,  it  became  necessary  for 
the  leaders  to  act  with  great  caution  in  setting  on  foot 
their  movement  for  disunion.  If  the  people  demurred, 
they  were  told  by  the  immediate  secessionists  that  the 
North  had  pursued,  from  the  inception  of  the  government 
up  to  the  present  time,  one  continual  course  of  aggression, 
—  that  they  had  no  equality  in  the  Union,  in  fact  that 
they  were  but  the  slaves  of  the  North ;  until,  in  listening 
to  the  inflammatory  appeals  of  their  speakers,  they  could, 
in  imagination,  almost  hear  the  clanking  of  Northern 
chains  around  them.  The  old  story  was  told,  of  wrongs 
endured,  of  slaves  stolen,  of  unjust  imposition  of  taxes 
by  way  of  tariff  levies,  of  unconstitutional  personal  lib 
erty  bills ;  then* the  evident  fact  that  the  institution  of 
slavery  was  to  be  excluded  from  the  territories  in  the 
West,  thus  seemingly  denying  the  South  of  what  they 
called  their  rights  in  that  unsettled  domain ;  then,  as  the 
topmost  "  crowning  stone  "  of  all  the  indignities  heaped 
upon  them,  the  North  had  become  so  heartless  and  so 
estranged  as  to  elect  a  "  sectional  President,"  which  they 
considered  a  sufficient  reason  to  justify  them,  in  the  eyes 
of  the  civilized  world,  for  secession ;  —  though  a  mere 
pretence,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  declaration  of  the  leading 
spirits  of  the  South  Carolina  convention  (as  quoted  by 
Governor  Hicks  in  his  address  to  the  people  of  Maryland), 
that  neither  the  election  of  Lincoln,  nor  the  non-execution 
of  the  fugitive  slave  law,  nor  both  combined,  constitute 
their  grievances ;  that  the  real  cause  of  their  discontent 
dates  as  far  bac.k  as  1833. 

In  1858  the  leaders  of  the  rebellion  began  to  prepare 
the  minds  of  the  people  for  immediate  secession.  In  the 
fall  of  that  year,  Jefferson  Davis,  in  a  speech  at  Jackson, 
Mississippi,  took  the  position  of  a  direct  secession  advo 
cate.  He  says,  —  "  If  an  abolitionist  be  chosen  President 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  by 

of  the  United  States,  you  will  have  presented  to  you  the 
question  of  whether  you  will  permit  the  government  to 
pass  into  the  hands  of  your  avowed  and  implacable  ene 
mies  ;  that  such  a  result  would  be  a  species  of  revolution, 
by  which  the  purposes  of  the  government  would  be  de 
stroyed,  and  the  observance  of  its  forms  entitled  to  no 
respect ; "  and  intimated  that,  in  that  event,  it  was  their 
duty  to  provide  for  their  safety  outside  of  the  Union,  de 
claring  that,  otherwise,  they  would  be  deprived  of  their 
birthright,  and  reduced  to  a  state  worse  than  the  colonial 
dependence  of  their  fathers. 

This  catalogue  of  indignities  and  fallacies,  when  prop 
erly  presented  to  the  excitable  and  sensitive  people  of  the 
South,  met  with  a  hearty  response.  It  was  too  much  for 
them  to  bear.  They  agreed  upon  the  matter  of  grievance, 
and  resolved  to  maintain  their  right  to  a  separate  confed 
eracy  at  the  point  of  the  sword ;  and  the  election  of  an 
"  abolitionist,"  that  is,  any  man  with  Northern  or  free-soil 
principles,  was  to  be  the  signal  for  an  effort  to  cast  off 
allegiance  to  the  Constitution. 

The  South  felt  that  more  territory  must  be  had  at  any 
sacrifice.  Kansas  and  Nebraska  lost,  all  was  lost,  —  Henry 
Clay's  "  Compromise  Act "  of  1821  guaranteeing  to  all 
that  region  freedom  forever,  and  Texas  could  not  for 
years  gain  population  sufficient  to  allow  of  her  subdivis 
ion  into  States. 

The  compromise  consisted  of  admitting  Missouri  as  a 
slave  State,  but  conceding,  as  an  equivalent  for  Northern 
concession  in  the  premises,  the  prohibition  of  any  further 
slave  territory  north  of  the  parallel  86  degrees  30  min 
utes.  The  compromise,  though  unpalatable  to  the  op 
ponents  of  the  right  of  slave  extension,  was  accepted  as  a 
solemn  guarantee  against  all  further  extension.  Had  it 
not  been  proposed  and  pledged  as  such  a  guarantee,  the 
bill  of  Mr.  Clay  never  could  have  passed  the  House  of 
Representatives. 


70  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

It  was  not  until  August,  1821,  that  the  State  was  ad 
mitted,  which,  together  with  the  later  admission  of  Arkan 
sas  and  Florida,  confirmed  the  supremacy  of  the  South 
in  the  national  councils ;  a  supremacy  which  was  not  dis 
turbed  until  the  4th  of  January,  1854,  when  Mr.  Douglas, 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  territories,  in  the  United 
States  Senate,  introduced  a  bill  for  the  organization  of 
the  territories  of  Kansas  and  .Nebraska,  which  provided 
that  the  said  territory,  or  any  portion  of  the  same,  when 
admitted  as  a  State,  shall  be  received  into  the  Union  with 
or  without  slavery,  as  their  constitution  may  prescribe  at 
the  time  of  their  admission  ;  —  thus  abrogating  the  vener 
able  and  respected  Missouri  Compromise  Act  of  1821, 
and  giving  to  the  people  of  a  territory  the  right  to  make 
their  own  laws,- —  denying  to  Congress  the  power  to  legis 
late  laws  for  its  territories. 

That  act  became  a  law,  after  one  of  the  most  exciting 
sessions  of  Congress  known  for  many  years ;  and  it 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  fatal  acts  for  the  peace  of 
the  country  which  could  have  been  conceived.  It  alarmed 
the  North ;  from  the  South  came  armed  bands  who  pur 
sued  the  anti-slavery  settlers  in  the  territories  with  a  ven 
geance,  making  the  record  of  1855  and  '56  one  of  out 
rage  and  bloodshed. 

The  North,  aggravated  by  this  armed  attempt  to  make 
a  slave  State  out  of  soil  unfitted  for  slave  labor,  poured 
in  its  settlers,  armed  them  for  defence,  gave  them  supplies 
to  sustain  them  through  the  day  of  trial,  and,  eventually, 
obtained  the  victory  through  the  action  of  the  principle 
of  "  Squatter  Sovereignty,"  and  obtained  control  of  affairs 
by  mere  force  of  numbers. 

The  struggle  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State  called  into 
existence  the  Republican  party,  which,  in  a  brief  period, 
elected  its  candidate  to  the  chief  magistracy. 

Mortified  at  their  defeat,  cut  off  from  any  further  ex 
tension  of  slave  representation,  the  Southern  States  saw 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  71 

before  them  their  long-apprehended  disaster  of  a  minority 
in  the  government.  If  they  remained  in  the  Union,  it 
must  be  as  the  weaker  half.  At  this  their  pride  revolted. 
The  "  balance  of  power "  ranks  were  weakened  by  the 
election  of  a  Republican  President,  as  it  closed  up  the 
avenues  to  the  accession  of  more  slave  territory.  In  this 
way,  and  in  no  other,  can  it  be  said  that  the  election  of 
Lincoln  precipitated  this  rebellion. 

Had  the  South  succeeded  in  electing  their  candidate 
to  the  Presidency,  who  would  administer  the  government 
after  the  pattern  of  the  last  administration,  grant  all  their 
requests  in  the  way  of  rebuilding  their  forts,  strengthen 
ing  their  fortifications,  providing  them  with  military  stores, 
arms  arid  munitions  of  war,  then,  undoubtedly,  rebellion 
and  all  its  train  of  blood  would  have  been  averted  until 
the  next  Presidential  election,  as  it  would  give  them  an 
additional  four  years  to  prepare  for  the  conflict  which 
must  eventually  come.  It  is  urged  by  the  immediate 
leaders  of  the  secession  movement  that  the  North  had 
perverted  the  Constitution  from  its  original  intent  and 
purposes,  that  they  had  no  equality  in  the  Union,  and  no 
hopes  of  redress  for  grievances,  only  in  secession. 

We  would  say,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  make  the 
plea  that  the  South  has  been  denied  her  rights  and  just 
share  in  the  government,  that  for  sixty-four  years  out  of 
seventy-two  the  executive  chair  has  been  filled  nearly  all 
the  time  by  Southern  Presidents,  or,  when  not  by  South 
ern  men,  by  those  possessing  the  confidence  of  the  South  ; 
and  of  all  the  offices  in  the  gift  of  the  government,  in 
every  department,  far  more  than  her  proportionate  share 
has  always  been  enjoyed  by  the  South ;  that  our  army 
and  navy  have  for  years  been  controlled  by  Southern 
men ;  that  our  ships  of  war,  and  the  fortifications  along 
our  coast,  have  nearly  all  been  officered  and  commanded 
by  men  of  Southern  principles,  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
sons  of  the  North. 


72  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

Then,  again,  the  right  of  free  speech  has  been  asserted 
by  Southern  senators,  in  the  halls  of  Congress,  who  claim 
the  privilege  of  expressing  their  opinions  freely  on  all 
subjects,  even  to  vilifying  opposite  parties  in  unmeasured 
terms ;  but  when  a  Northern  senator  acts  upon  the  same 
principle,  and  speaks  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own 
conscience,  he  must  apologize,  or  is  visited  summarily 
with  the  cane  or  the  challenge. 

New  York  alone  has  nearly  double  the  free  population 
of  the  six  original  "seceded  States,"  yet  she  had  only 
thirty-three  representatives  to  their  twenty-six;  which 
proves  how  largely  slaves  are  represented  in  Congress, — 
the  negroes  entering  into  "  population  "  in  the  proportion 
of  five  negroes  for  three  in  count,  thus  bearing  to  Con 
gress  the  preponderating  weight  of  their  votes  without 
any  of  the  rights  of  citizenship  appertaining  to  them. 

And,  again,  Ohio  has  more  free  white  population  than 
the  whole  six  States  originally  seceded,  yet  she  had  only 
twenty-one  representatives  in  Congress,  while  they  had 
twenty-six. 

Whether  these  facts  prove  that  the  South  has  been  de 
nied  her  rights,  we  leave  our  readers  to  judge  ;  and  how 
far  the  South  stands  acquitted  before  the  tribunal  of  na 
tions  and  the  bar  of  justice,  time,  and  the  succeeding  pages 
of  this  work,  will  show. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of  our  pur 
pose  (giving  a  history  of  the  rebellion)  to  go  farther  back 
than  the  Presidential  election,  as  we  have  touched,  though 
lightly,  on  former  feuds  ;  and  the  feeling  of  prejudice  which 
has  existed  between  the  two  sections,  for  many  years,  is 
well  known  to  our  readers,  and  requires  no  comment. 

We  find,  under  date  Richmond,  Va.,  October  31,  1860, 
that  war  preparations  were  commenced,  that  arms  and 
ammunitions  were  being  rapidly  distributed,  and  a  deter 
mination  to  resist  the  general  government  was  developing 
more  and  more  each  day.  They  regarded  the  Union  as 


THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  fO 

founded  upon  a  very  uncertain  basis,  and  that,  in  case  of 
Lincoln's  election,  the  long-threatened  crash  must  soon 
come,  and  all  were  busy  preparing  for  it. 

Senator  Wigfall,  of  Texas  notoriety,  in  a  speech  at 
Huntsville,  Alabama,  took  occasion  to  say, —  "I  would 
see  the  Union  rent  in  a  thousand  fragments  before  I 
would  vote  for  John  Bell." 

November  5th.  The  legislature  of  South  Carolina  met 
at  Columbia,  and  received  the  Governor's  (Gist's)  mes 
sage.  Therein  he  suggested  immediate  secession,  in  case 
Lincoln  was  elected,  and  earnestly  recommended  military 
re-organization,  and  that  every  man  in  the  State,  between 
the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five,  should  be  armed  by 
the  State  with  the  most  efficient  weapons  of  modern  war 
fare,  and  also  recommended  raising,  without  delay,  ten 
thousand  volunteers,  to  be  in  readiness  at  the  shortest 
notice,  and  adds,  "that  they  may  trust  their  cause  to 
the  Supreme  Disposer  of  events."  An  immense  crowd 
assembled  in  the  evening,  at  the  Congaree  House,  and 
serenaded  Senator  Chesnut,  who  made  a  long  and  elo 
quent  speech,  declaring  the  last  hope  of  the  Union  gone, 
and  resistance  unavoidable. 

At  the  celebration  in  Savannah,  of  the  completion  of 
the  Charleston  and  Savannah  railroad,  the  mayor  pledged 
fifty  thousand  Georgians  to  rush  to  the  assistance  of 
South  Carolina,  if  coerced ;  Collector  Colcock,  of  Charles 
ton,  made  an  eloquent  disunion  speech ;  Mr.  Buchanan 
was  toasted  as  "  the  last  of  an  illustrious  line ; "  the 
greatest  enthusiasm  for  a  Southern  Confederacy  pre 
vailed,  and  all  were  resolved  to  fight. 

Same  day,  at  Portsmouth,  Va.,  Governor  Wise  made  a 
disunion  speech  of  over  four  hours  in  length.  He  pro 
tested  that  he  would  never  submit  to  Lincoln's  election. 
He  closed  amid  the  wildest  enthusiasm.  For  several 
minutes  the  house  shook  with  the  shouts  of  the  excited 
multitude. 


74  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

November  6.  Presidential  election  day.  The  news  of 
the  Republican  triumph  was  received  throughout  the 
Southern  States  with  loud  demonstrations  of  civil  war 
and  disunion. 

On  the  8th  a  mass  meeting  of  the  citizens  was  held  at 
Savannah  to  consider  the  result  of  the  election,  at  which 
it  was  unanimously  resolved,  that  the  election  of  Lincoln 
and  Hamlin  ought  not,  and  would  not  be  submitted  to, 
and  suggested  to  the  legislature  to  take  steps  to  organize 
and  arm  the  military  forces  of  the  State.  A  Southern 
Rights  club  hoisted  a  banner  in  one  of  the  public  squares, 
with  this  inscription,  — 

EQUALITY   OF   THE    STATES, 

the  painting  of  a  rattlesnake,  with  the  motto,  — 
DON'T  TREAD  ON  ME; 

and  though  but  forty-eight  hours  since  the  reception  of 
the  news  of  Lincoln's  election,  the  feeling  of  the  people 
was  clearly  manifested  by  the  cheers  that  greeted  the 
appearance  of  the  banner ;  minute-men  were  organizing, 
and  old  men  and  young  were  mounting  the  secession 
badge,  —  a  blue  cockade. 

In  Macon,  Ga.,  and  Mobile,  Ala.,  the  excitement  was 
intense,  and  corps  of  minute-men  were  organizing. 

A  correspondent  writing  from  Columbia,  S.  C.,  and 
Charleston,  under  date  Nov.  9,  says,  "  There  is  no  need 
of  speeches  to  inflame  the  people  ;  they  are,  to  a  man, 
for  secession  ;"  and  gives  an  account  of  the  furore  of 
excitement  created  by  the  resignation  of  the  officers  of 
the  United  States  Court  in  that  city.  It  was  estimated 
that  at  least  five  thousand  people  called  to  pay  their 
respects  to  ex- Judge  Magrath.  He  addressed  them  in 
glowing  words  as  to  the  great  responsibilities  and  de 
mands  of  the  crisis,  and  they  manifested  the  most  pro 
found  emotions  by  continually-recurring  applause.  Till 
nearly  midnight  the  streets  presented  the  most  animated 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  75 

appearance.  The  crowd  illuminated  their  passage  by 
rockets  and  other  fireworks,  and  the  air  resounded  with 
their  deafening  cries. 

November  10.  Senator  Chesnut,  of  South  Carolina, 
resigned  his  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate.  A  bill  was 
introduced  in  the  South  Carolina  legislature  to  call  out 
and  equip  ten  thousand  volunteers,  and  ordered  an 
election  of  delegates  to  a  convention  to  take  action  on 
the  question  of  secession,  the  election  to  be  held  Dec.  6, 
the  convention  to  assemble  Dec.  17.  The  legislature 
appointed  the  21st  instant  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humilia 
tion  and  prayer. 

In  the  evening  a  great  crowd,  numbering  about  two 
thousand  persons,  assembled  in  front  of  the  Congaree 
House,  Columbia,  S.  C.,  and  were  addressed  by  Judge 
Magrath,  Messrs.  Connor,  Colcock,  and  Cunningham. 
Mr.  Magrath  said  South  Carolina  had  a  right  to  secede. 
The  people,  the  legislature  and  Heaven  will  say  she  has 
the  right ;  and  if  the  government  at  Washington  should 
say  she  has  not  the  right,  then  let  the  government  prove 
it  by  taking  the  right  away. 

Mr.  Colcock  said  that,  although  this  was  a  large  meet 
ing,  he  wished  to  see  one  more  in  it,  and  that  was  Abra 
ham  Lincoln.  He  would  take  him  by  the  hand  and 
bring  him  to  the  platform,  and  tell  him  to  look  upon  that 
great  crowd,  and  then  ask  him  if  he  ever  expected  to 
wave  his  presidential  sceptre  over  the  heads  of  that 
people.  "Honest  Abe,"  he  knew,  with  downcast  eyes, 
would  answer,  "  Never." 

Immense  excitement  throughout  the  South.  Large 
meetings  held  in  New  Orleans,  Augusta,  Montgomery 
and  Vicksburg,  to  favor  disunion.  Great  numbers  of 
resignations  of  postmasters,  custom-house  officers,  etc., 
received  at  the  departments  at  Washington.  "  Minute- 
men"  organizations  making  throughout  the  cotton 
States. 


76  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

November  11.  Senator  Hammond,  of  South  Carolina, 
resigned  his  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate. 

In  Charleston,  on  the  12th,  at  night,  a  large  and 
enthusiastic  meeting  was  held  at  Institute  Hall.  The 
galleries  were  filled  with  ladies,  and  every  part  of  the 
building. was  crowded  to  suffocation.  Judge  Magrath 
presided.  When  the  speaker  declared,  "  This  Union  is 
dissolved,"  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  was  beyond 
bounds  ;  they  rose  to  their  feet,  threw  up  their  hats,  and 
cheered  till  hoarse  ;  outside,  "  Minute-men  "  from  Colum 
bia  were  parading,  houses  were  illuminated,  fireworks 
set  off;  the  people  joining  in  every  imaginable  demon 
stration  of  joy  on  this  occasion,  and  cheer  after  cheer 
rent  the  air. 

Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia,  made  a  strong  resistance 
speech  at  Milledgeville,  declaring  the  right  of  secession, 
and  said  if  the  federal  troops  attempted  coercion,  for 
every  Georgian  who  fell  in  the  conflict  the  heads  of  two 
federal  soldiers  should  atone  for  the  outrage  on  State 
sovereignty. 

A  correspondent,  writing  from  Richmond,  Va.,  says, 
"  The  secession  movement  is  going  forward  with  a  rush. 
All  the  conciliatory  letters  that  '  Old  Abe  '  could  write 
for  a  month  would  be  of  no  avail  in  staying  the  progress 
of  this  movement.  The  South  would  not  regard  as  sin 
cere  one  word  he  might  say  in  conflict  with  his  matured 
and  long-standing  convictions.  The  crisis  is  come,  and 
secession  is  inevitable." 

November  13.  South  Carolina  legislature  adjourned, 
sine  die. 

November  14.  Immense  torch-light  procession  in  Co 
lumbia,  in  honor  of  the  action  of  the  South  Carolina 
legislature. 

Florida,  by  her  Governor,  telegraphed  to  the  Governor 
of  South  Carolina  that  she  would  stand  by  the  gallant 
Palmetto  flag. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


77 


November  15.  Senator  Toombs  made  a  powerful  seces 
sion  speech  at  Milledgoville,  Georgia. 

Governor  Letclier,  of  Virginia,  called  an  extra  session 
of  the  legislature,  to  assemble  Jan.  7,  to  take  into  con 
sideration  the  condition  of  public  affairs. 

November  17.  Grand  gathering  of  citizens  of  Charles 
ton,  S.  C.,  to  inaugurate  the  revolution.  A  mammoth 
pole  was  erected  near  the  Charleston  Hotel,  and  the 
hoisting  of  the  State  flag  on  it  was  duly  celebrated.  The 
pole  was  made  of  Carolina  pine,  one  hundred  feet  high, 
and  surmounted  by  the  cap  of  liberty.  Cables  were 
stretched  across  the  streets  to  prevent  the  passage  of 
vehicles.  A  dense  crowd  was  collected  on  Meeting  Street, 
extending  over  two  squares.  The  neighboring  house 
tops,  windows  and  balconies  were  thronged  with  ladies 
waving  their  handkerchiefs.  The  flag  was  hoisted  amid 
tremendous  cheering  and  the  wildest  excitement ;  the 
Washington  Artillery  paraded,  and  fired  one  hundred 
guns  as  the  flag  went  up  ;  bells  were  rung,  and  the  band 
played  the  Marsellaise  Hymn.  After  the  Marscllaise  the 
band  played  the  "  Miserere,"  from  "  II  Trovatore,"  as  a 
funeral  dirge  for  the  Union.  At  the  same  time  the 
Charleston  Hotel,  the  Mills  House,  and  other  large  hotels, 
flung  out  the  Palmetto  flag,  and  the  people  vowed  that  the 
stars  and  stripes  should  never  again  wave  in  Charleston. 

When  the  cheering,  attendant  upon  hoisting  the  flag, 
subsided,  prayer  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  C.  P.  Gadsden, 
invoking  God  as  their  refuge  and  strength,  asking  protec 
tion  for  the  liberties  with  which  their  fathers  were  blessed, 
their  commerce  and  their  firesides,  and  praying  to  be 
inspired  with  courage,  with  a  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  and  a 
love  of  law  and  order.  That  God  would  consecrate  with 
especial  favor  the  banner  of  liberty  which  that  day  had 
been  hung  in  the  heavens,  and  graciously  keep  the  city 
over  which  it  floated,  and  finally  make  them  that  happy 
people  whose  God  is  the  Lord. 


78  THE  EEBELLION   I&  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

After  the  prayer,  speeches  were  made,  the  speakers 
all  addressing  the  crowd  as  citizens  of  the  "  Southern 
Republic."  During  the  speaking,  processions  poured  in 
from  different  sections  of  the  city,  with  music  and  can 
non,  each  saluting  the  Palmetto  flag. 

From  the  windows  of  dwellings  were  suspended  ban 
ners  with  such  mottoes  as  "  Now  or  never ;  "  "  No  step 
backward  ;  "  "  The  argument  is  ended  ;  "  "  Stand  to 
your  arms;"  "South  Carolina  goes  it  alone,  —  her 
trumps,  Mag-rath,  Colcock,  and  Conner,  —  with  these  she 
claims  a  march." 

Secession  badges  worn  by  men,  women,  and  children. 
M.  L.  Bonham,  member  of  Congress  from  South  Caro 
lina,  resigned  his  seat  in  that  body.  The  prayer  for  the 
President  of  the  United  States  was  omitted  in  the  Epis 
copal  churches  in  Charleston. 

Nov.  18.  Georgia  legislature  appropriated  one  million 
dollars  to  arm  and  equip  the  State.  Ordered  an  election 
of  delegates  to  a  State  convention,  to  be  held  January  2, 
the  convention  to  assemble  January  9. 

Nov.  19.  Governor  Moore,  of  Louisiana,  ordered  the 
legislature  of  that  State  to  convene  Dec.  10. 

We  learn  from  Richmond,  Va.,  through  reliable 
sources,  that  there  was  at  this  time  (Nov.  19),  fully 
armed  and  equipped,  in  Virginia,  a  force  of  one  hundred 
thousand  of  the  elite  of.  thq.  young  men  of  the  State,  with 
a  reserve  force  of  one  hundred  thousand  more  ;  that  they 
had  purchased  from  the  United  States  government,  since 
October  1st,  five  thousand  smooth-bore  percussion  mus 
kets,  which  had  arrived  there,  and  that  eight  thousand 
stand  of  arms  of  different  classes,  purchased  at  the 
North,  had  been  forwarded  within  the  previous  week. 

Virginia  entered  into  a  contract  for  three  thousand 
shells,  to  suit  heavy  artillery,  besides  five  hundred  bar 
rels  of  Dupont  powder,  which  had  been  purchased  and 
stored  at  Lexington  and  Richmond.  Two  thousand  new 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


79 


sabres  had  been  provided  for  cavalry,  besides  one  thou 
sand  old  ones,  which  had  been  improved  in  a  manner  to 
suit  any  emergency ;  also  one  thousand  revolving  pistols 
of  the  Dean  and  Adams  model,  which  were  soon  to  be 
distributed.  These  were  exclusive  of  the  regular  arms 
in  the  depot  of  the  State. 

November  20.  Large  arrivals  in  New  York  of  arms 
for  the  South.  Heavy  orders  received  and  filled  in  New 
York  for  rifles,  ammunitions,  pistols,  etc.,  for  the  South. 

Both  branches  of  the  North  Carolina  legislature  con 
vened.  The  Governor,  in  his  message,  recommended  the 
enrolment  of  all  men  between  eighteen  and  forty-five 
years,  and  also  the  raising  of  a  corps  of  ten  thousand 
volunteers,  with  arms  and  equipments.  A  correspondent 
writes  :  "  Non-intercourse  with  the  free  States  is  decid 
edly  the  sentiment  of  the  people,  and  domestic  uniforms 
are  becoming  all  the  rage  for  the  military  companies. 

A  party  of  young  gentlemen,  of  New  Orleans,  in 
whose  chivalric  hearts  the  secession  fever  raged  intensely, 
resolved  to  wear  110  cloth  but  what  was  made  south  of 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  consequently  ordered  entire  suits 
to  be  made  for  each  one,  of  Kentucky  jeans,  and  only 
discovered  when  too  late  that  the  goods  were  manufac 
tured  in  Massachusetts. 

November  22.  The  Washington  and  Philadelphia 
banks  suspended  specie  payment.  The  banks  of  Balti 
more  and  Richmond  suspended  two  days  previously. 
Notes  of  all  Southern  banks  at  a  heavy  discount  in  New 
York.  The  New  York  banks  resolved  to  consolidate 
funds,  and  afford  relief  by  a  liberal  line  of  discount. 

Nov.  23.  Suspension  of  North  Carolina  banks  legal 
ized  by  the  legislature  of  that  State.  Numerous  bank 
suspensions  announced  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  Trenton,  N.  J., 
and  Charleston,  S.  C. 

Great  public  meeting  in  New  Orleans  to  organize  a 
"  Southern  Rights  Association."  whose  purpose  is  to  aid 


80 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


in  carrying  the  State  out  of  the  Union.  A  correspondent 
writing  from  New  Orleans,  says  :  — 

"  The  Southern  heart  is  fired  at  last  to  its  fullest  extent, 
and  whether  it  has  the  '  constitutional '  right  to  secede 
or  not,  it  is  now  too  late  to  argue,  and  no  one  will  pre 
tend  to  doubt  its  '  revolutionary '  right  to  secede  ;  that  a 
vast  majority  of  the  people  of  New  Orleans  are  consoli 
dated  as  '  minute-men '  of  the  blue-cockade  stamp  ;  that 
c  minute-men'  are  forming  throughout  the  cotton  States 
in  legions,  and  that  the  tide  of  the  '  impending  crisis '  lias 
turned  against  the  North,  and  you  may  soon  look  for  such 
an  4  irrepressible  conflict '  in  the  Northern  States,  when 
the  hundreds  and  thousands  of  mechanics  and  laborers 
shall  be  turned  out  of  employ,  as  the  North  has  never 
dreamed  of." 

November  29.  The  Vermont  legislature  votes  against 
a  repeal  of  its  personal  liberty  bill,  — 125  to  58. 

The  Mississippi  legislature  authorized  the  Governor  to 
appoint  as  many  commissioners  as  he  might  deem  neces 
sary,  to  visit  each  of  the  slave-holding  States,  to  inform 
them  that  the  Mississippi  legislature  had  authorized  a 
convention  to  consider  the  necessary  steps  for  meeting  the 
crisis.  The  commissioners  were  to  solicit  the  co-opera 
tion  of  legislatures  to  devise  means  "  for  their  common 
defence  and  safety." 

By  dispatches  from  New  Orleans  we  learn  that  the 
excitement  in  that  city  was  immense,  and  the  secession 
feeling  momentarily  increasing.  Disunion  was  regarded 
as  inevitable. 

The  bank  bill  to  suspend  specie  payment  of  banks  in 
Georgia  re-passed  over  the  Governor's  veto. 

A  bill  was  introduced  into  the  house  of  the  Georgia 
legislature  prohibiting  the  levying  of  any  execution  from 
the  courts  of  the  United  States  on  the  property  of  cit 
izens  of  Georgia,  prior  to  December,  1861,  —  all  sales 
under  such  process  to  be  void. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


81 


We  copy  the  following  from  a  "  Connecticut  paper." 
We  do  not  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  statement,  but 
it  is  rather  spicy,  and  we  give  it  to  our  readers  as  we 
receive  it. 

"A  young  lady  from  Vermont,  teaching  in  a  town  in 
Georgia,  writes  to  her  parents  thus :  — 

"4  The  people  here  are  very  much  excited  over  the  elec 
tion  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  Yesterday  they  formed  a  military 
company  among  the  young  men,  with  a  view  to  the  exi 
gencies  of  the  hour,  and  to-day  they  came  out  to  drill. 
The  most  remarkable  part  of  that  performance,  to  a 
Yankee  girl,  was  to  see  each  soldier  have  a  negro  along 
to  carry  his  gun.'  r 

By  advices  from  Florida,  we  learn  that  secession  flags 
were  flying  in  many  portions  of  the  State,  and  that  the 
secession  feeling  largely  predominated. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  message  of  Gov 
ernor  Perry  to  the  legislature  of  Florida :  — 

"  I  most  decidedly  declare  that,  in  my  opinion,  the  only 
hope  the  Southern  States  have  for  their  domestic  peace 
and  safety,  or  for  future  respectability  and  prosperity,  is 
dependent  on  their  action  now,  and  that  the  proper  action 
is  secession  from  our  faithless,  perjured  confederates." 


CHAPTER    Y. 

Our  Union  is  river,  lake,  ocean,  and  sky ; 
Man  breaks  not  the  medal  when  God  cuts  the  die ; 
Though  darkened  by  sulphur,  though  cloven  with  steel, 
The  blue  arch  will  brighten,  the  waters  will  heal. 

ATLANTIC  MONTHLY. 

DECEMBER  1.  A  committee  of  citizens  of  Texas,  com 
posed  of  leading  men,  petitioned  Governor  Houston  to 
convene  the  legislature.  The  Governor  responded  that 
the  present  agitation  throughout  the  country,  and  par 
ticularly  in  the  South,  arising  from  the  election  of  a 
President  and  Vice-President  upon  a  sectional  issue, 
called  for  the  calm  deliberation  of  statesmen.  That  the 
assembling  of  delegates  from  sovereign  States,  in  a  con 
sultative  character  and  within  the  scope  of  their  constitu 
tional  powers,  "to  preserve  the  equal  rights  of  such 
States  in  the  Union,"  might  result  in  the  adoption  of 
such  measures  as  would  restore  harmony  between  the 
two  sections  of  the  Union  ;  and  should  such  a  conven 
tion  be  called,  he  would,  upon  receipt  of  information  as 
to  the  time  and  place  of  its  assembling,  immediately 
order  an  election  of  seven  delegates  to  represent  Texas 
in  the  same.  That  he  could  see  no  reason  for  involving 
the  State  in  the  expenses  incident  to  a  session  of  the 
legislature,  and  altogether  viewing  the  measure  unwise, 
he  could  not  convene  it ;  but,  if  a  majority  of  the  citi 
zens  of  the  State  petitioned  for  it,  he  would  not  stand  in 
the  way,  adding,  "  We  have  the  Constitution  to  maintain, 
and  in  maintaining  the  Constitution  we  must  maintain 
our  rights ;  when  the  Constitution  fails  to  give  them  to 
us,  I  am  for  revolution.  My  action  has  been  prompt, 

82 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  83 

decided  and  legal.  Finding  a  course  marked  out  for  me 
by  law,  I  have  followed  it,  and  am  now  awaiting  a 
response." 

The  secession  feeling  largely  predominated  in  the 
southern  and  eastern  portion  of  the  State. 

Florida  legislature  passed  the  convention  bill  unani 
mously.  The  convention  to  meet  January  3d. 

Banks  in  Georgia  generally  suspended  specie  payment. 

Immense  secession  meeting  at  Memphis,  Tennessee. 
Resolutions  were  passed,  calling  upon  the  Governor  to 
convene  the  legislature,  directing  that  a  State  convention 
be  called,  and  telling  the  Southern  States  that  Tennessee 
would  stand  by  the  action  of  the  Southern  convention  for 
weal  or  woe.  To  show  the  state  of  feeling  at  the  South, 
we  copy  portions  of  an  extract  from  a  letter  written  by 
Brigadier  General  Semmes,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  in 
acknowledgment  of  the  high  honor  conferred  upon  him ; 
having  been  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  military 
department  of  Columbus,  Ga.  He  says  :  — 

"  Southerners  have  a  high  and  sacred  duty  to  perform, 
and  know  well  how  to  perform  that  duty.  '  He  who  dal 
lies  is  a  dastard ;  he  who  doubts  is  damned ;'  and  he  who 
cries  peace,  union,  when  there  is  no  peace,  no  union,  and 
never  can  be,  with  a  fanatic  and  infidel  people  who  repu 
diate  God  and  the  Bible,  deserves  everlasting  execration. 
I  rejoice  at  the  dawning  of  the  day  which  is  to  separate 
us,  I  trust  forever,  from  such  a  people,  —  a  people  who, 
folding  the  arms  of  the  federal  government  around  the 
South,  stand  behind  filching  from  their  pockets,  —  a  peo 
ple  who,  through  the  operations  of  federal  law,  rob  the 
South  annually  of  one  hundred  and  five  millions  of  dol 
lars.  No  wonder  they  love  '  the  Union,'  —  the  '  glorious 
Union.'  It  enriches  them,  by  robbing  us.  Eternal  hos 
tility,  say  I,  to  such  people,  and  rebellion  to  their  accursed 
federal  misrule.  Separated  from  them  they  are  impotent 
to  harm  us.  Their  voices,  their  hands  (in  our  pockets) 


84  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

we  dread ;  their  bayonets,  themselves,  we  despise.  Let  a 
united  South  rally  and  strike  down  this  God-forsaken 
Union  with  robbers,  fanatics,  incendiaries,  assassins,  infi 
dels.  Southrons,  arise  !  Buckle  on  your  armor  ;  trust 
in  God  and  strike  for  independence.  His  right  arm  will 

support  you. 

(Signed.)  PAUL  J.  SEMMES. 

Rev.  P.  N.  Lynch,  Catholic  Bishop  of  Charleston, 
declined  to  go  to  the  South  Carolina  convention,  and 
withdrew  his  name  from  the  list  of  candidates.  He  said, 
"  There  is  another  sphere  in  which  I  can  more  appropri 
ately,  and  perhaps  with  equal  efficiency,  serve  our  State. 
In  that  sphere  I  trust  I  shall  not  be  found  wanting  in  my 
devotion  to  her  interests,  in  weal  or  woe." 

December  3.  Preamble  and  resolutions  adopted  in 
the  Georgia  legislature,  proposing  a  conference  of  the 
Southern  States  at  Atlanta,  on  the  20th  of  February,  to 
counsel  and  advise  as  to  the  mode  and  manner  of  resist 
ance  to  the  North  in  the  existing  exigency.  The  pre 
amble  and  resolutions  took  strong  grounds  in  favor  of 
having  all  sectional  questions  finally  settled,  and  objected 
to  separate  action. 

Congress  met  at  Washington,  —  President  Buchanan's 
message  read  to  both  Houses,  and  transmitted  to  the 
South.  It  was  conservative  in  its  general  character,  and 
created  but  little  remark,  except  with  some  few  leading 
politicians.  It  did  not  please  the  extremists  on  either 
side.  The  following  fiery  declaration  of  Governor  Wise, 
of  Virginia,  will  define  Ms  position,  and  show  in  what 
light  he  regarded  the  President's  message. 

A  gentleman  writing  from  Williamsburg,  Va.,  Dec.  4, 
1860,  says :  "  Meeting  Governor  Wise  to-day,  I  took 
occasion  to  ascertain  his  opinion  upon  the  latest  phase 
of  the  sectional  difficulties.  The  Governor  says  he 
regards  the  President's  message  as  the  most  damning 
production  that  ever  came  from  the  pen  of  any  Presi- 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


85 


dent ;  that  he  (Wise)  is  prepared  to  maintain,  to  the  last 
extremity,  the  right  of  any  State  to  secede ;  but,  while 
maintaining  the  right,  he  disagrees  with  South  Carolina 
as  to  the  policy.  He  is  in  favor  of  revolution,  —  of  fight 
ing  in  the  Union,  and  of  maintaining  the  rights  of  the 
South  in  the  Union.  He  can  '  wake  up  '  twenty  thousand 
men  who  will  fight  to  the  death  for  their  rights  under  the 
Constitution  in  the  Union,  easier  than  he  can  one  thou 
sand  to  fight  the  Union  outside.  He  would  seize  upon 
the  forts  and  arsenals  within  the  State,  and  never  give 
them  up  until  guarantees  from  the  North  are  obtained 
that  shall  be  satisfactory  to  the  Southern  States  ;  but  he 
declared  that  if  Virginia  shall  not  now  insist  upon  her 
rights,  either  in  the  Union  or  out  of  it,  so  help  him  God, 
from  that  day  he  will  be  an  emancipationist.  He  will  not 
consent  longer  to  be  the  owner  of  slaves,  and  allow  his 
rights,  as  such,  under  the  Constitution,  to  be  set  at  defi 
ance.  Whenever  a  convention  shall  be  called  he  will 
again  take  the  field  to  secure  the  election  of  delegates 
who  will  carry  out  his  mode  of  action.  He  wants  no 
national  convention  and  no  compromises.  War  to  the 
knife  is  his  policy,  until  justice  shall  be  accorded." 

The  same  correspondent  gives  as  his  opinion,  from  all 
he  had  been  able  to  learn,  though  a  singular  fact,  and 
illustrative  of  how  much  the  politicians  have  had  to  do 
111  getting  up  the  disunion  feeling  which  prevails  in  Vir 
ginia,  that,  as  a  general  rule,  the  largest  owners  of  slaves 
are  the  most  conservative  and  strongest  Union  men.  It 
is  the  men  who  have  the  least  material  interest  in  the 
security  of  slave  property  who  are  the  disunionists  of 
Virginia, —  who  are  in  favor  of  disrupting  all  the  ties 
which  bind  us  to  the  Union,  without  waiting  for  an  overt 
act  on  the  part  of  the  President  elect. 

December  6.  The  legislature  of  South  Carolina  passed 
a  bill  to  place  the  State  upon  a  war  footing.  It  author 
ized  the  government  to  call  into  service  ten  thousand 

8 


86  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

volunteers.  During  the  discussion  in  the  legislature, 
Mr.  Rhett  said  there  had  been  for  several  years  in 
Charleston  eight  of  the  largest  size  Paixhan  guns,  which 
might,  perhaps,  be  used  in  taking  the  forts. 

Mr.  Marshall  said  the  State  had  382  infantry  compa 
nies,  50  cavalry,  18  artillery  and  62  rifle  companies, — 
making  121  battalions,  56  regiments,  14  brigades,  and  5 
divisions.  Mr.  McGowan  said  the  total  military  force 
was  65,000. 

December  7.  A  circular  was  issued  inviting  the  mem 
bers  of  the  Texas  legislature  to  assemble  in  Austin,  on 
the  third  Monday  in  December,  for  the  purpose  of  hold 
ing  an  extra  session,  and  to  take  the  necessary  steps  for 
calling  a  State  convention.  Governor  Houston  declared 
his  intention  to  resign,  if  the  people  of  the  State  de 
manded  the  convoking  of  the  legislature.  This  step, 
together  with  the  unremitting  exertions  of  the  Governor 
to  smother  the  flame  of  disunion,  which  had  sprung  up 
in  the  breasts  of  the  people  of  Texas,  rendered  him  very 
unpopular.  Lone  star  flags  were  hoisted  in  many  of  the 
towns  in  Texas ;  and  the  people  throughout  the  State 
appeared  to  be  united  in  their  feeling  of  resistance  to  the 
administration  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  We  are  permitted  to 
make  an  extract  from  a  letter  received  by  a  gentleman  in 
New  York,  from  a  friend  in  Texas,  a  planter.  He  says, 
"  Upon  this  subject  our  minds  are  deliberately,  fully  and 
unalterably  made  up.  We  are  for  secession,  disunion, 
civil  war,  pestilence,  loss  of  property,  of  life,  or  anything 
you  can  imagine,  rather  than  submit  to  the  rule  of  Lin 
coln,  elected  as  he  was  by  a  purely  sectional  vote,  and 
pledged  as  he  is  to  a  course  of  policy  so  ruinous  to  the 
South.  The  4  Lone  Star '  is  flying  in  every  direction,  and 
there  seems  to  be  a  settled  determination  not  to  submit." 

December  8.  The  Kentucky  banks  resolved  to  con 
tinue  specie  payment,  as  a  suspension  could  afford  no 
commercial  relief. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


87 


December  9.  Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia,  published 
a  long  letter,  favoring  immediate  secession. 

December  10.  An  extra  session  of  the  Louisiana  legis 
lature  convened  at  Baton  Rouge.  The  message  of  Gov 
ernor  Moore  was  read.  It  recommended  the  immediate 
action  of  Louisiana,  before  the  inauguration  of  Lincoln ; 
that  a  conference  of  slave  States  be  held ;  it  asserts  the 
right  of  secession,  and  asks  half  a  million  of  dollars 
to  establish  a  military  board,  to  buy  and  distribute 
arms. 

December  11.  The  military  bill  passed  both  houses, 
appropriating  half  a  million  to  arm  the  State  for  defence, 
and  for  establishing  military  depots.  Also  a  bill  provid 
ing  for  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  State  convention, 
to  be  held  at  Baton  Rouge,  on  the  twenty-third  of  Jan 
uary,  passed  both  houses. 

Legislature  adjourned  on  the  12th  sine  die. 

December  12.  The  Sixteenth  Regiment  of  South  Car 
olina  Militia  mustered  at  Charleston,  six  hundred  strong. 
Their  strange  appearance  at  that  time  provoked  a  good 
deal  of  comment. 

A  paragraph  in  the  Charleston  Mercury  says  "  that  the 
repeal  of  the  Northern  personal  liberty  bills  will  have  no 
effect  on  South  Carolina  to  keep  her  in  the  Union ;  that, 
so  far  as  the  cotton  States  are  concerned,  these  laws, 
excepting  the  insult  they  convey  to  the  South  and  the 
faithlessness  they  indicate  in  the  North,  are  not  of  the 
slightest  consequence. 

December  15.  From  the  Galveston  (Texas)  News,  we 
learn  that  military  preparations  were  going  on  rapidly  in 
all  parts  of  the  State,  companies  of  "  minute-men  "  were 
forming  in  all  the  southern  and  eastern  counties,  organ 
izing,  arming,  and  drilling  were  progressing,  and  the 
wildest  enthusiasm  prevailed,  so  much  so,  that  ministers 
of  the  gospel  forgot  their  high  calling,  or  their  "  occupa 
tion  was  gone"  as  we  find  on  the  list  of  recruiting  officers 


88  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

the  name  of  Rev.  R.  W.  Peirce,  and  that  a  company  of 
sixty-five  minute-men  was  enrolled  in  the  cause  of 
"  treason  "  in  consequence  of  an  enthusiastic  address  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson ;  also,  on  the  80th  of  November, 
says  the  "  News,"  a  regiment  of  mounted  riflemen,  two 
hundred  strong,  paraded  under  the  command  of  the  Rev. 
James  C.  Wilson.  The  parade  was  witnessed  by  a  large 
assemblage,  including  a  host  of  ladies.  At  eleven  A.  M., 
the  "  minute-men  "  formed  on  the  Plaza,  around  the  lib 
erty-pole,  from  which  the  Lone  Star  flag  floated.  The 
regiment  was  organized  by  the  election  of  field  and  staff 
officers  ;  the  Rev.  James  C.  Wilson  chosen  Colonel.  The 
warmest  military  feeling  was  manifested.  While  Henry 
Ward  Beecher  and  others,  under  the  garb  of  Christianity, 
advocate  disunion,  and  excite  men  to  discord  and  strife 
on  the  "  field  of  argument,"  these  Rev.  gentlemen  band 
together  to  carry  out  treason's  plot  on  the  "field  of 
battle." 

December  17.  The  South  Carolina  convention  met  at 
Columbia,  in  the  new  and  commodious  church  of  the 
Baptist  congregation.  The  galleries  and  seats  on  the 
floor  reserved  for  spectators  were  densely  crowded.  The 
church  was  fitted  up  with  every  convenience  for  dispatch 
ing  the  business  of  the  convention. 

A  banner  was  suspended  over  the  pulpit,  presenting  to 
the  audience  the  inscription,  "  South  Carolina  Conven 
tion  of  1860 ; "  on  its  reverse  were  inscribed  the  following 
passages  from  the  sacred  Scriptures :  "  God  is  our  refuge 
and  strength  —  a  very  present  help  in  trouble  ;  therefore 
will  we  not  fear,  though  the  earth  be  removed,  though 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  sea.  The  Lord  of 
Hosts  is  with  us,  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge."  Fran 
cis  W.  Pickens  was  inaugurated  Governor  of  South  Caro 
lina,  before  the  legislature,  the  convention,  and -an  im 
mense  concourse  of  citizens.  The  convention  was  organ 
ized  and  General  Jamison  elected  President,  when  a 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  89 

motion  was  made  to  adjourn  to  Charleston,  owing  to  the 
prevalence  of  small-pox  at  Columbia. 

Mr.  Miles  spoke  earnestly,  and  at  some  length,  against 
removal  to  any  other  point,  until  the  ordinance  of  seces 
sion  was  passed  ;  he  says,  "  I  think  every  question  is  sub 
sidiary  to  this  great  and  important  matter  of  withdrawing 
the  State  of  South  Carolina  from  the  Union ;  such  a  step, 
should  we  previously  adjourn,  would  disconcert  our 
friends  and  gladden  our  enemies.  We  would  be  sneered 
at.  It  would  be  asked  on  all  sides,  Is  this  the  chivalry  of 
South  Carolina  ?  They  are  prepared  to  face  the  world, 
but  they  run  away  from  the  small-pox.  I  am  just  from 
Washington,  where  I  have  been  in  continual  conference 
with  our  friends.  The  last  thing  urged  on  me  by  our  friends 
from  the  slave  States  was,  take  South  Carolina  out  of  the 
Union  the  instant  you  can.  Now,  Sir,  when  the  news 
reaches  Washington  that  we  met  here,  that  a  panic  arose 
about  a  few  cases  of  small-pox  in  the  city,  and  that  we 
forthwith  scampered  off  to  Charleston,  the  effect  would 
be  ludicrous." 

Mr.  Carroll  recommended  that  the  delegates  be  vacci 
nated.  If  every  member  of  the  convention  would  resort 
to  vaccination,  there  would  be  no  danger,  and  in  ten  days 
time  nothing  would  be  heard  of  the  small-pox.  Yet,  not 
withstanding  these  arguments,  the  motion  was  carried, 
and  they  adjourned  to  Charleston.* 

The  members  of  the  convention  and  of  the  legislature 
on  their  arrival  in  Charleston  were  received  with  great 
rejoicing.  A  salute  of  fifteen  guns  was  fired,  for  the 
fifteen  slave  States,  by  the  Marion  Artillery.  A  battalion 
of  the  State  Cadets  were  also  present.  Major  Stevens,  com 
manding  the  Cadets,  addressed  President  Jamison  of  the 

*  We  perfectly  agree  with  Mr.  Miles  in  thinking  the  "  effect  would  be 
ludicrous/'  and  especially  with  Mr.  Carroll.  The  idea  of  a  "gallant  band" 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  men,  going  to  be  vaccinated,  headed  by  the 
aforesaid  gentleman,  it  would  be  ludicrous  indeed. 

8* 


90  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

convention,  saying  that  he  had  brought  the  young  Caro 
linians,  as  represented  by  the  Cadets,  to  do  honor  to  the 
sovereignty  of  the  State.  General  Jamison  returned  his 
acknowledgments,  and  said  "  the  convention  comes  pre 
pared  to  sign  the  ordinance  which  shall  make  the  State 
free  and  independent." 

The  convention  assembled  at  Institute  Hall.  There 
were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  delegates  and  about 
seven  hundred  spectators. 

The  bill  for  arming  the  State  of  North  Carolina  passed 
the  Senate  at  Raleigh,  by  a  vote  of  41  to  3. 

December  19.  Committee  appointed  to  draft  a  seces 
sion  ordinance :  Messrs.  John  A.  Ingliss,  E.  Barnwell 
Rhett,  James  Chesnut,  Jr.,  James  L.  Orr,  William  Gregg, 
Mr.  Duncan,  and  William  M.  Hutson. 

December  20.  Mr.  Ingliss  reported  the  following  or 
dinance  :  — 

"  We,  the  people  of  South  Carolina,  in  convention  as 
sembled,  do  declare  and  ordain  that  the  ordinance 
adopted  by  us  in  convention  on  the  23d  of  May,  1788, 
whereby  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was  ratified, 
and  all  acts  and  parts  of  acts  passed  by  the  general  as 
sembly  of  this  State,  ratifying  amendments  to  said  Con 
stitution,  are  hereby  repealed ;  and  the  union  now  existing 
between  South  Carolina  and  other  States,  under  the  name 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  is  hereby  dissolved." 

The  secession  ordinance  passed  unanimously,  one  hun 
dred  and  sixty-nine  members  being  present,  at  1J  P.  M. 
The  ordinance  was  ordered  to  be  engrossed  on  parch 
ment,  signed  by  the  members,  and  placed  in  the  archives 
of  the  State  at  Institute  Hall. 

The  news  spread  rapidly  011  the  street,  and  a  crowd 
collected,  and  there  was  immense  cheering. 

The  news  of  the  secession  of  South  Carolina  created 
intense  excitement  and  rejoicing  in  Georgia  and  Alabama. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  city  council  of  Augusta,  Ga.,  in 


THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  91 

"  anticipation  "  of  the  passage  of  the  secession  ordinance 
by  South  Carolina,  it  was  resolved  by  the  city  council  of 
Augusta,  that  the  person  having  in  charge  the  bell  com 
monly  known  as  "Big  Steve"  be  instructed  to  have  said 
bell  struck  or  rung  one  hundred  times,  as  soon  as  the 
news  is  received  that  the  State  of  South  Carolina  has 
resumed  her  sovereignty. 

December  21.  In  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  one  hundred 
guns  were  fired  in  honor  of  the  secession  of  South  Caro 
lina. 

At  Portsmouth,  Va.,  fifteen  guns  were  fired  for  the 
fifteen  slave  States. 

The  "  minute-men  "  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  met  on  the  Stone 
Bridge,  at  one  o'clock  on  the  21st,  and  fired  a  salute  of 
fifteen  guns  in  honor  of  South  Carolina,  and  hoisted  the 
"  Palmetto  flag."  John  Tyler,  son  of  Ex-President  Tyler, 
after  the  firing  had  ceased,  mounted  the  gun  and  deliv 
ered  a  strong  secession  speech.  Many  ladies  of  the  city 
congregated  to  witness  the  salute,  and  joined  in  by  wav 
ing  handkerchiefs.  The  following  telegram  was  sent 
over  the  wires  to  the  president  of  the  Charleston  conven 
tion  :  — 

"  The  i  minute-men  '  of  Norfolk  send  greeting  to 
South  Carolina.  With  the  glorious  Palmetto  flag  thrown 
to  the  breeze,  and  floating  over  our  heads,  we  have  just 
fired  fifteen  guns  in  honor  of  the  first  step  taken  by  that 
gallant  State,  and  emblematic,  we  hope,  of  coming  events. 
All  honor  and  glory  to  the  game-cock  of  the  South. 

"CHARLES  HARRIS,  Chief  of  Minute- Men  of  Norfolk." 

At  Macon,  Ga.,  the  people  were  jubilant  over  the  seces 
sion  of  South  Carolina.  There  was  a  grand  procession  of 
"  minute-men,"  parading,  and  bonfires,  bells  ringing, 
cannon  firing,  and  streets  illuminated ;  all  served  to 
heighten  the  excitement  and  manifest  the  joy  of  the 
people.  *-... 


92  THE   EEBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

At  Montgomery  one  hundred  guns  were  fired  by  order 
of  Governor  Moore,  in  honor  of  the  secession  of  South 
Carolina. 

At  Pensacola  the  news  was  greeted  with  immense 
enthusiasm.  One  hundred  guns  were  fired  in  honor  of 
the  event. 

A  dispatch  from  Mobile,  Dec.  21,  says  :  — 

"  The  secession  of  South  Carolina  was  celebrated  here, 
by  the  firing,  this  afternoon,  of  a  hundred  guns,  the 
cheers  of  the  people,  and  a  military  parade.  There  is 
great  rejoicing.  The  bells  are  ringing  merrily,  and  the 
people  are  out  in  the  streets  by  hundreds,  testifying  their 
joy  at  the  triumph  of  secession.  Many  impromptu 
speeches  are  being  made,  and  the  greatest  excitement 
everywhere  exists." 

There  was  an  immense  secession  meeting  at  night,  and 
"  illuminations  "  in  honor  of  South  Carolina. 

In  New  Orleans  there  was  a  general  demonstration  of 
joy  consequent  upon  the  secession  of  South  Carolina. 
One  hundred  guns  were  fired,  and  the  "  Pelican  flag " 
unfurled.  Impromptu  speeches  were  made  by  many  of 
the  leading  citizens. 

On  the  21st,  in  Charleston,  there  was  a  grand  proces 
sion  of  "  minute-men,"  to  celebrate  the  passage  of  the 
secession  ordinance.  Several  thousand  citizens,  strangers, 
firemen,  and  military  were  in  line,  with  music,  banners, 
transparencies,  and  reflectors.  The  procession  formed  in 
front  of  Secession  Hall,  and  proceeded  to  the  Mills 
House,  to  serenade  Governor  Pickens,  and  subsequently 
to  Wm.  D.  Porcher,  President  of  the  Senate,  General 
Simmons,  Speaker  of  the  House,  General  Jamison,  Pres 
ident  of  the  Convention,  and  Mayor  Macbeth,  who 
acknowledged  their  thanks  and  compliments.  The  flag 
borne  in  front  of  the  procession  was  that  which  Captain 
Berry,  of  the  steamship  Columbia,  hoisted  off  Governor's 
Island.  The  city  was  alive  with  pleasurable  excitement, 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  93 

and  a  number  of  residences,  newspaper  establishments, 
and  other  public  buildings  were  illuminated. 

The  convention  met  at  noon.  Prayer  was  offered,  in 
the  course  of  which  God  was  invoked  to  unite  the  people 
of  the  South  in  the  formation  of  a  "  Southern  Confed 
eracy,"  and  to  bless  the  new-born  State. 

Lieutenants  Dazier  and  Hamilton,  also  several  midship 
men,  Carolinians,  resigned  their  commissions  in  the  navy. 

December  22.  At  Petersburg,  Va.,  a  secession  pole, 
one  hundred  feet  high,  with  the  "Palmetto  flag,"  was 
hoisted  on  the  most  prominent  street,  amid  the  cheers  of 
a  large  crowd.  The  pole  was  sawed  down  the  next  morn 
ing  before  the  dawn  of  day,  by  an  unknown  party,  and 
the  flag  carried  off.  Great  excitement  prevailed  in  conse 
quence. 

December  24.  Agreeably  to  the  ordinance  of  seces 
sion,  Governor  Pickens  issued  an  address,  proclaiming  to 
the  world  that  South  Carolina  is  and  has  a  right  to  be  a 
separate,  sovereign,  free,  and  independent  State,  and  as 
such  has  a  right  to  levy  war,  conclude  peace,  negotiate 
treaties,  leagues,  or  covenants,  and  do  all  acts  whatever 
that  rightly  appertain  to  a  free  and  independent  State. 

An  immense  secession  meeting  was  held  at  Ashland 
Hall,  Norfolk,  Va.  Disunion  speeches  were  delivered  by 
Col.  V.  D.  Grover  and  General  John  Tyler.  The 
speakers  were  enthusiastically  applauded.  General  Ty 
ler  concluded  with  the  expression,  "Let  the  Union  go  to 
hell"  which  was  received  with  loud  and  repeated  cheers. 

The  Methodist  Conference  of  South  Carolina  passed 
resolutions  favoring  secession. 

The  special  commissioners  appointed  by  the  South  Car 
olina  convention  to  negotiate  for  government  property, 
and  form  a  treaty  of  amity  and  commerce  with  the 
United  States,  leave  Charleston  for  Washington. 

An  immense  mass  meeting  was  held  in  New  Orleans, 
to  ratify  the  nomination  of  the  "  Southern  Rights  "  can- 


94  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

didates  for  the  convention.  The  Southern  Marsellaise 
was  sung,  as  the  banner  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  was 
raised,  amid  reiterated  and  prolonged  cheers  for  South 
Carolina  and  Louisiana. 

December  26.  A  resolution  offered  in  the  South  Caro 
lina  convention,  that  the  Governor  be  requested  to  com 
municate  to  the  convention  in  "  secret  session,"  any 
information  he  possesses  in  reference  to  the  condition  of 
Forts  Moultrie  and  Sumter,  and  Castle  Pinckney,  —  the 
number  of  guns  in  each,  the  number  of  workmen  and 
kind  of  labor  employed,  the  number  of  soldiers  in  each, 
and  what  additions,  if  any,  have  been  made  since  the 
20th  inst. ;  also,  if  any  assurance  has  been  given  that  the 
forts  will  not  be  reinforced,  and  if  so,  to  what  extent ; 
also,  what  police  or  other  regulations  have  been  made,  if 
any,  in  reference  to  the  defences  of  the  harbor  of  Charles 
ton,  the  coast  and  State. 

Major  Anderson  transferred  the  United  States  garrison 
at  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter,  leaving  only  a  small 
guard  in  Fort  Moultrie. 

Only  one  short  week  had  passed  since  the  signing  of 
the  "  secession  ordinance,"  and  the  joyous  excitement 
conseqent  thereupon  had  scarcely  begun  to  subside,  when 
the  city  was  startled  with  the  intelligence  of  the  evacua 
tion  of  Fort  Moultrie. 

The  wildest  excitement  seized  the  people,  and  in  the 
fire  of  their  indignation  they  denounced  Major  Anderson 
in  the  most  bitter  terms,  and  their  rage  knew  no  bounds 
at  this,  what  they  deemed,  overt  act  on  the  part  of  the 
gallant  commander.  The  military  were  ordered  out,  and 
the  convention  went  into  "  secret  session."  Troops  were 
tendered  to  the  Governor  from  different  portions  of  Car 
olina,  Georgia,  Alabama,  and  Mississippi. 

December  28.  The  "  Palmetto  flag  "  was  raised  over 
the  Custom  House  and  Post-office  at  Charleston,  S.  C. 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  the    "  Palmetto  flag  " 


THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  95 

was  raised  at  Castle  Pinckney,  and  a  military  force  went 
over  and  took  possession  of  Fort  Moultrie. 

Castle  Pinckney  and  Fort  Moultrie  were  held  by  about 
twelve  men,  who  peaceably  surrendered  to  the  State 
troops. 

The  "  Federal  flag  "  was  saluted  with  thirty-two  guns 
as  it  descended,  and  the  "Palmetto  flag/'  with  one  gun 
as  it  was  run  up. 

A  large  and  enthusiastic  secession  meeting  was  held  at 
Richmond,  Va. 

One  hundred  guns  were  fired  in  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  on 
the  twenty-eighth,  over  the  secession  of  South  Carolina, 
and  we  are  informed  that,  in  less  than  twenty  minutes 
after  the  firing  commenced,  every  vessel  in  port,  with  the 
exception  of  one,  run  up  the  "  stars  and  stripes." 

In  a  Troy,  N.  Y.,  paper  we  find  a  letter,  dated  Decem 
ber  28,  from  General  Wool,  stating  that  the  "  Waterveliet 
Arsenal "  was  exclusively  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  that  on  the  ninth  of  that-  month 
(December)  ten  thousand  muskets  were  sold,  by  order 
of  Secretary  Floyd,  to  S.  B.  Lamar,  of  Savannah,  Geor 
gia,  and  were  shipped  from  the  arsenal  on  the  fourteenth 
inst.  The  price  was  two  dollars  and  a  half  for  each 
musket. 

An  immense  Union  meeting  was  held  at  Memphis, 
Tenn.  It  was  addressed  by  Hon.  Neil  S.  Brown,  and 
others. 

Governor  Hicks  again  refused  to  convene  the  legisla 
ture  of  Maryland. 

In  reply  to  a  friendly  letter  from  Capt.  John  Contee,  of 
Prince  George's  County,  urging  him  to  call  an  extra  ses 
sion  of  the  legislature,  he  says  :  — 

"  I  have  no  party. attachments  or  prejudices  that  con 
flict  with  my  love  for  the  Union,  or  that  can  influence  me 
in  the  endeavor  to  discharge  my  duty  faithfully  to  my  native 
State.  I  have  long  since  decided  to  put  aside  party  feel- 


96  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

ings  and  prejudices,  and  do  everything  in  my  power  to 
preserve  and  perpetuate  the  Union  of  the  States  and  the 
happiness  of  millions  depending  upon  it. 

"  We  cannot  shut  our  eyes  to  the  fearful  peril  of  the 
hour.  We  know  that  a  dark  cloud  overshadows  the  land, 
threatening  the  destruction  of  the  institutions  we  have 
been  taught  to  uevere,  and  under  which  we  have  grown 
to  be  a  great  nation.  We  know  that  reckless  and  design 
ing  men  are  endeavoring  to  precipitate  a  dissolution  of  the 
Union  before  the  people  shall  have  time  for  the  reflection 
so  imperatively  demanded  by  the  vast  interests  involved 
in  the  threatened  separation,  whether  that  separation  shall 
be  peaceful  or  bloody.  There  must  be  time  to  weigh  well 
all  the  consequences  before  we  proceed  to  destroy  the  gov 
ernment  bequeathed  to  us  by  our  fathers  ;  and  we  should 
wait  to  see  if  there  is  not  still  enough  wisdom,  virtue, 
and  patriotism  in  Congress  and  the  country,  to  give  the 
people  time  for  the  '  sober  second  thought.' 

"  It  seems  to  me,  from  the  hot  haste  with  which  some 
of  the  Southern  States  are  pressing  a  dissolution,  that 
their  leading  men  appear  to  act  deliberately,  believing 
that  the  people  would  not  sustain  them  in  their  reckless 
course  if  they  had  time  to  weigh  the  consequences,  nor 
act  without  one  more  appeal  to  the  people  /of  the  North. 
Does  it  not  seem  strange  that  we  have  only  now  realized 
the  great  wrong  done  the  Southern  States  by  the  personal 
liberty  bills  enacted  by  the  North  ?  We  know  that  these 
laws  have  been  upon  the  statute-books  of  many  of  these 
States  for  years,  and  that  until  now  they  have  never  been 
considered  a  sufficient  cause  to  justify  the  South  in  dis 
solving  the  Union." 

After  expressing  the  wish  that  these  personal  liberty 
laws  might  be  repealed  at  once,  and  the  rights  of  the 
South,  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution,  respected  and 
enforced,  he  closes  by  saying  :  — 

"  The  time  has  indeed  come  when  we  must  all  look  the 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


97 


danger  full  in  the  face ;  when  patriotism,  the  memories  of 
the  past,  and  the  hopes  of  the  future,  imperatively  demand 
that  we  should  use  every  exertion  compatible  with  honor 
to  prevent  the  United  States  of  America  from  disappear 
ing  from  among  the  nations  of  the  world. 

"  I  shall  be  the  last  one  to  object  to  a  withdrawal  of 
our  State  from  a  confederacy  that  denies  to  us  the  enjoy 
ment  of  our  undoubted  rights  ;  but  believing  that  neither 
her  honor  or  her  interests  will  suffer  by  a  proper  and  just 
delay,  I  cannot  assist  in  placing  her  in  a  position  from 
which  we  may  hereafter  wish  to  recede.  But  I  assure 
you  that  whenever,  in  my  judgment,  the  necessity  for 
assembling  that  body  in  '  extra  session'  shall  arise,  I 
shall  not  shrink  from  the  responsibility. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant, 

"THOMAS    W.   HlCKS." 
9 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Not  a  protest  I  heeded,  nor  Cass's  note, 

As  my  country  to  ruin  I  hurried ; 
Whilst  Floyd  discharged  his  farewell  shot 

O'er  the  grave  where  the  Union  I  buried. 

BUCHANAN. 

DECEMBER  29.     Secretary  Floyd  resigned. 

December  30.  Sunday.  South  Carolina  troops  took 
possession  of  the  arsenal  at  Charleston ;  military  prep 
arations  were  actively  progressing ;  volunteers  were  of 
fering  their  services  from  other  States,  among  whom  were 
many  army  and  navy  officers.  Colonel  Walter  Gwynn, 
a  graduate  of  West  Point,  and  an  old  United  States  army 
officer,  accepted  the  command  of  a  military  company  in 
Columbia,  S.  C. 

Shipment  of  arms  to  the  South. 

The  steamship  Montgomery,  which  arrived  at  Savannah 
on  the  26th  of  November,  had  on  board  180  boxes  of 
Sharp's  patent  carbines,  1,800  in  all,  and  40,000  conical 
ball  cartridges,  for  the  State  of  Georgia. 

The  Baton  Rouge  (La.)  Gazette  states  that  a  telegram 
was  received  at  the  arsenal  there,  from  the  war  depart 
ment  at  Washington,  on  the  22d  of  December,  ordering 
the  sale  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  guns,  for  $2.50 
each,  to  Governor  Pettus,  of  Mississippi. 

On  the  twenty-eighth  of  December  we  find  there  were 
sent,  by  order  of  Secretary  Floyd,  from  the  Alleghany  Arse 
nal  to  Ship  Island,  near  the  Balize,  mouth  of  Mississippi, — 

21  ten-inch  columbiads,  128  pounders. 

21  eight-inch        "  64        " 

4  iron  guns,  32        " 

98 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  99 


To  Newport,  near  Galveston  Island,  Texas, — 
23  ten-inch  columbiads,  128  pounders. 
48  eight-inch         "  64         " 

7  iron  guns,  32         " 

In  all,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  guns,  one  broadside 
of  which  would  throw  five  tons  of  balls. 

Floyd  did  a  lively  business  in  treason  all  around. 
The  superintendent  of  the  Springfield,  Mass.,  armory, 
received  an  order  from  Secretary  Floyd  to  deliver  to 
Major  Thornton,  of  the  army,  having  charge  of  the  mili 
tary  stores  in  New  York,  twenty  thousand  muskets,  as 
condemned  ordnance  stores,  and  to  be  sold.  They  were 
sold  to  the  State  of  Virginia  for  two  and  a  half  dollars 
each  ;  which  cost  the  government  twelve  dollars  each. 

Twenty-six  mounted  field-pieces  from  the  "  Watervliet 
Arsenal"  were  forwarded  to  South  Carolina,  January  3d. 
During  the  year  1860,  there  was  removed  from  the 
Springfield  (Mass.)  armory,  and  deposited  in  other  arse 
nals  of  the  United  States,  135,430  government  arms,  as 
follows :  — 

Texas  Arsenal 500 

Charleston,  S.  C 15,000 

Mount  Vernon,  Ala 15,000 

Augusta,  Ga 20,000 

Fayetteville,  N.  C 25,000 

Baton  Rouge,  La 30,000 

Benicia,  Cal 7,000 

St.  Louis,  Mo 2,530 

New  York,  (sold  South)         ....     20,400 


135,430 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  from  the  Springfield  armory 
alone  there  had  been  sent  to  the  points  where  treason 
had  made  its  appointments,  128,000  muskets,  and  not  a 
single  musket  to  any  United  States  arsenal  in  a  Northern 
State,  except  20,000  to  New  York.  These,  like  those  frdm 


100  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

Troy,  were  not  to  remain  in  New  York,  but  were  sold  to 
the  traitors  for  the  paltry  sum  of  two  dollars  and  a  half 
each. 

This  removal  of  arms  was  entirely  "  independent  "  of 
the  supply  which  the  government  sends,  as  the  regular 
quota,  to  the  different  States,  aside  from  this,  that  was 
going  on  as  usual.  Here  we  see  the  treason  of  Floyd 
developing  itself.  It  was  impossible  for  him  longer  to 
conceal  his  villany,  and  when  the  people  demurred,  he  re 
sorted  to  stratagem  to  quiet  their  fears,  until  he  could  ac 
complish  his  purpose.  If  anything  was  needed  to  rouse 
our  people  to  the  frightful  treachery  over  which  they  had 
been  sleeping,  this  should  have  been  sufficient.  When, 
if  they  started  in  their  slumbers  or  began  to  rouse  from 
their  lethargy,  and  asked  why  was  this  vast  movement  of 
arms,,  almost  simultaneously,  from  so  many  different 
points,  and  at  a  time  too  when  the  cry  of  secession,  civil 
war  and  bloodshed  was  wafted  to  us  from  the  South  on 
every  returning  breeze,  they  were  answered,  "  It  is  only 
the  '  regular  quota '  which  the  general  government  ap 
propriates  yearly  to  the  several  States.  The  Southern 
States,  not  having  as  many  volunteer  companies  and  mili 
tia  as  Northern  States,  have  not  called  for  their  share 
until  now,  and  it  has  been  credited  to  them  year  after 
year,  which  accounts  for  the  large  number  which  they 
receive  at  this  time." 

Some  little  excitement  was  caused  in  New  York  by 
the  heavy  shipment  of  arms  South  from  the  arsenal  at 
Troy,  and  it  was  intimated  that  the  arms  were  to  be  used 
for  hostile  purposes  by  the  secessionists.  They,  the  peo 
ple,  were  told  that  the  rumor  in  the  latter  respect  was 
entirely  without  any  truth ;  that  no  fears  need  be  enter 
tained  of  hostility ;  that  the  arms  alluded  to  were  man 
ufactured  at  the  United  States  arsenal  at  Troy,  for  the 
State  militia  of  Georgia,  in  accordance  with  an  order  is- 
su*ed  in  May  previous  ;  that  a  similar  order  for  the  State 


I 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  101 

of  South  Carolina  was  fulfilled  about  the  same  time ; 
that  these  "  shipment "  were  not  at  all  unusual,  as 
during  the  past  summer  months  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  stands  of  arms  were  sent  to  the  five  cotton 
States,  in  accordance  with  the  requisition  of  the  Secre 
tary  of  War. 

When  the  people  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  arose  in  their  in 
dignation  and  resolved  to  oppose  by  force  the  removal 
of  the  heavy  guns  from  the  "  Alleghany  Arsenal,"  they 
were  quietly  informed  that  "  the  manufacturer  con 
tracted  to  delrVer  them  at  certain  points  where  requisition 
was  made,  and  any  opposition  or  restraint  in  their  delivery 
by  citizens  would  inure  to  the  injury  of  the  contractor 
only,  should  the  service  suffer  by  delay  ;  that  the  appro 
priation  for  the  purchase  of  the  cannon  was  long  since 
made  for  the  defensive  works  at  those  points,  and  the 
order  for  their  removal  thither  was  in  accordance  with 
law  and  regulation,  without  any  reference  whatever  to 
political  occurrences." 

Thus,  with  these  and  all  sorts  of  excuses,  the  people 
were  lulled  to  rest,  until  the  "  war-note  "  sounded  from 
the  walls  of  "  Sumter  "  which  awoke  them  to  the  fearful 
reality.  And  if  ever  man  is  punished  for  the  robbery  of 
a  nation's  treasury,  it  should  be  that  same  John  B.  Floyd 
of  Virginia,  who  leaves  the  earmarks  of  fraud  through 
out  his  whole  administrative  career. 

January  1st.  South  Carolina  convention  passed  an 
ordinance  to  define  and  punish  treason  ;  that  levying  war 
against  the  State,  aiding  her  enemies,  etc.,  be  punished 
by  death.  Oh,  consistency,  thou  art  a  jewel !  The  con 
vention  was  opened  with  prayer,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dupree. 
The  following  is  a  quotation  from  the  appeal :  — 

"0  God,  wilt  thou  bring  confusion  and  discomfiture 
upon  our  enemies,  and  wilt  thou  strengthen  the  hearts 
and  nerves  and  arms  of  our  sons  to  meet  this  great  fire 
in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Israel." 

9* 


102  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

Immediately  fronting  the  president  was  a  bust  of  John  C. 
Calhoun  in  white  marble,  with  this  inscription  on  paper : 

"  Truth,  Justice  and  Fraternity,  you  have  written  your 
name  in  the  book  of  life ;  fill  up  the  page  with  delibera 
tion  ;  that  written,  execute  quickly.  The  storm  is  from 
the  North.  The  day  is  far  spent  and  the  night  is  at  hand. 
Our  homes  and  honor  summon  the  citizens  to  appear  on 
the  parade-ground  for  inspection." 

A  correspondent  writes : 

"  The  4  Palmetto  Guards,'  one  hundred  strong,  are 
guarding  the  arsenal,  under  the  *  Palmetto* Flag,'  instead 
of  the  stars  and  stripes.' ' 

The  flag  adopted  by  South  Carolina  is  a  red  ground, 
with  a  marine  blue  cross,  on  which  are  fifteen  white  stars, 
a  largo  one  in  the  centre,  a  white  palmetto  tree  and  cres 
cent  on  the  upper  right-hand  corner,  next  to  the  staff,  the 
corner  spaces  all  of  red. 

The  chair,  the  table,  the  pens,  and  the  inkstand  used 
on  the  memorable  night  of  signing  the  ordinance  of 
secession,  were  ordered  to  be  reverentially  placed  in  the 
State  at  Columbia,  and  sacredly  preserved  for  posterity 
to  see. 

January  2.  Forts  Pulaski  and  Jackson,  and  the  Uni 
ted  States  arsenal  at  Savannah,  were  seized  by  Georgia 
State  troops. 

Fort  Macon  and  the  United  States  arsenal  at  Fayette- 
ville  were  seized  by  North  Carolina  State  troops,  by  order 
of  Governor  Ellis. 

Military  operations  in  Charleston  were  very  active,  and 
every  point  of  importance  was  fully  manned. 

A  censorship  was  exercised  over  the  telegraph,  and  the 
city  was  nightly  patrolled  by  the  military. 

It  was  proposed  to  starve  out  Major  Anderson  and  his 
brave  little  band,  and  then  attack  them  on  rafts,  with  the 
aid  of  the  batteries  already  erected. 

The  South  Carolina   commissioners,   at   Washington, 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  103 

received  a  telegram  from  Governor  Pickens,  saying, 
"  that  he  was  notified  of  the  departure  of  the  revenue 
cutter  Harriet  Lane  for  Fort  Sumter,  with  sealed-  dis 
patches  from  Washington,  but  that  she  could  not  come 
over  the  bar  except  under  the  white  flag ;  otherwise,  she 
would  be  fired  into  by  the  South  Carolina  troops." 

January  3.  Florida  State  convention  assembled  at 
Tallahassee. 

January  4.  Fort  Morgan  and  the  United  States  ar 
senal  at  Mobile  were  seized  by  Alabama  State  troops. 
The  arsenal  contained  six  stand  of  arms,  1,500  barrels 
of  powder,  300,000  rounds  of  musket  cartridges,  and 
other  munitions  of  war.  There  was  no  defence. 

January  5.  South  Carolina  convention  adjourned, 
subject  to  the  call  of  the  Governor. 

Governor  Pickens  received  a  telegram  from  the  mayor 
of  New  Orleans,  pledging  that  city  to  support  Charleston 
when  the  time  for  action  arrived. 

January  7.     Alabama  convention  met  at  Montgomery. 

The  Governor  of  Virginia,  in  a  message  to  the  State 
legislature,  condemned  the  hasty  course  of  South  Caro 
lina,  but  opposed  federal  coercion. 

The  Mississippi  convention  met  at  Jackson. 

Major  Anderson's  removal  to  Fort  Sumter  sustained 
by  the  United  States  House  of  Representatives. 

January  8.  Forts  Johnson  and  Caswell,  at  Smithville, 
were  seized  by  North  Carolina. 

At  Washington,  Jacob  Thompson,  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  called  upon  the  President  to  know  whether  rein 
forcements  had  been  sent  to  Major  Anderson.  The  Presi 
dent  at  once  informed  him  that  the  steamer  "  Star  of  the 
West"  had  been  chartered,  and  was  on  her  way  to 
Charleston,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  United  States 
troops. 

Later  in  the  day,  at  a  meeting  of  the  cabinet,  Secre 
tary  Thompson  demanded  of  Secretary  Holt  to  know  if 


104  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

it  was  true  that  two  hundred  and  fifty  regulars  had  been 
dispatched  from  New  York  to  reinforce  Major  Ander- 


Mr.  Holt  refused  to  answer  the  question,  on  the  ground 
that  Mr.  Thompson  had  announced  that  he  should  resign 
when  Mississippi  decided  to  go  out  of  the  Union,  and  as 
she  had,  according  to  the  latest  reports,  so  decided,  he 
was  of  the  opinion  that  Mr.  Thompson  was  the  last  man 
in  the  world  to  be  informed  of  the  detail  of  operations 
of  the  War  Department. 

Secretary  Thompson  then  telegraphed  Judge  Long- 
street,  at  Charleston,  that  troops  had  been  ordered  to 
reinforce  Major  Anderson,  and  immediately  resigned  his 
seat  in  the  cabinet. 

Three  days  previous,  Mr.  Toucey,  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  (although  previously  urging  the  reinforcement  of 
Major  Anderson),  now,  in  company  with  Secretary 
Thompson,  called  upon  the  President,  and  informed  him 
that  'he  had  heard  of  the  movement  of  troops  in  New 
York,  and  that  he  wished  to  know  the  facts.  The  imbe 
cile  President  stated  that  if  any  such  orders  had  been 
given,  he  would  have  them  revoked.  He  accordingly 
authorized  the  Secretary  of  War  to  telegraph  the  com 
mander  of  the  "  Star  of  the  West  "  to  land  the  troops  at 
Norfolk,  or  Fort  Monroe,  and  not  to  go  to  Charleston ; 
but  the  vessel  had  departed  before  the  dispatch  reached 
there. 

The  most  intense  excitement  prevailed  among  the 
senators  and  representatives  from  the  gulf  and  cotton 
States.  They  regarded  the  reinforcement  of  Major  An 
derson  as  a  declaration  of  war,  and  telegraphed  the 
Charlestonians  to  sink  the  vessel,  if  possible,  before  she 
landed  her  cargo. 

Lieut.  Chapman  and  Master  Mills,  of  the  ship  Brook 
lyn,  resigned. 

National  salutes  were  fired  in  honor  of  the  battle  of 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  105 

New  Orleans  and  the  bravery  of  Major  Anderson,  in 
nearly  all  the  principal  towns  and  cities  of  the  Northern 
States. 

January  9.  The  "  Star  of  the  West,"  bearing  rein 
forcements  for  Major  Anderson,  was  fired  into  in  Charles 
ton  harbor.  The  ship  immediately  displayed  the  "  stars 
and  stripes."  As  soon  as  the  flag  was  unfurled  the  forti 
fications  fired  a  succession  of  heavy  shots.  The  vessel 
continued  on  her  course  with  increased  speed,  but  finding 
it  impossible  to  reach  the  fort  without  heavy  loss,  con 
cluded  to  retire,  and  put  about  and  went  to  sea,  the  bat 
teries  still  firing  upon  her  until  their  shot  fell  short. 
Only  two  out  of  seventeen  shots  took  effect  upon  her. 

Lieut.  Hall  was  then  dispatched  by  Major  Anderson  to 
Governor  Pickens,  to  know  whether  the  authorities  of 
Charleston  authorized  the  firing.  Upon  learning  from 
Governor  Pickens  that  the  act  was  justified  by  him,  and 
also  that  his  (Anderson's)  position  in  the  harbor  had 
only  been  "  tolerated,"  — that  it  was  only  by  forbearance 
that  the  State  had  so  long  permitted  him  to  remain 
there,  —  Major  Anderson  deemed  it  proper  to  refer  the 
matter  to  his  government ;  therefore  signified  to  Gov 
ernor  Pickens  his  intention  of  deferring  all  further  action 
in  the  case  until  he  should  receive  instructions  from 
Washington,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  no  obstructions 
would  be  placed  in  the  way,  and  that  he,  the  Governor, 
would  give  every  facility  for  the  safe  departure  and 
return  of  Lieut.  T.  Talbot,  as  "  bearer  of  dispatches  "  to 
the  President  of  the  United  States ;  which  was  granted, 
and  Lieut.  Talbot  left  Charleston  late  the  same  evening 
for  Washington. 

The  Mississippi  State  convention  passed  an  ordinance 
of  secession.  Great  illumination  at  night ;  guns  were 
fired  and  fireworks  let  off  in  honor  of  the  event. 

January  10.  South  Carolina  took  possession  of  the 
steamship  Marion,  to  be  used  in  the  service  of  the  State, 


106  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES. 

by  the  Governor's  orders,  but  afterwards  returned  her  to 
the  owners,  Carolina  paying  damages. 

The  Florida  convention  passed  an  ordinance  of  seces 
sion. 

Fort  McRae,  at  Pensacola,  was  seized  by  Florida. 

January  11.  Alabama  State  convention  adopted  an 
ordinance  of  secession,  61  to  39.  After  the  adoption  of 
the  ordinance  of  secession  by  Alabama,  the  doors  of  the 
hall  were  opened  to  visitors,  and  a  splendid  flag,  pre 
sented  by  the  ladies  of  Alabama,  was  conveyed  to  the 
president's  stand,  and  formally  presented  to  the  conven 
tion.  It  was  immediately  raised  over  the  Capitol,  amidst 
the  ringing  of  bells,  the  firing  of  cannon,  and  the  cheer 
ing  of  the  people.  The  most  intense  enthusiasm  pre 
vailed. 

Judge  Jones,  of  the  United  States  District  Court,  for 
the  Southern  District  of  Alabama,  declared  the  court 
"  adjourned  forever." 

The  United  States  arsenal  at  Baton  Rouge,  and  Forts 
Pike,  St.  Phillip  and  Jackson,  were  seized  by  Louisiana 
State  troops,  without  resistance. 

Major  Haskins,  with  two  companies,  refused  to  surren 
der  the  Baton  Rouge  arsenal ;  but,  being  surrounded  by 
six  hundred  men,  he  surrendered,  as  the  "  better  part  of 
valor."  The  excitement  at  New  Orleans  was  very  great. 

Grand  banquet  given  to  John  B.  Floyd,  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  at  which  the  following  sentiment  was  given  :  —  "  The 
Hon.  John  B.  Floyd,  the  worthy  son  of  a  '  noble  sire.' 
All  honor  to  the  Virginian  who  spurns  the  trappings  of  a 
federal  place,  respects  a  mother's  rights,  and  resents  a 
mother's  wrongs."  (Music,  and  three  cheers  for  Floyd.) 

January  12th.  Fort  San  Carlos  de  Barrancas  and  the 
navy  yard  at  Pensacola  were  seized  by  Florida  troops. 

Lieut.  Slemmer,  in  command  of  Fort  Pickens,  refused 
to  surrender  that  fort.  The  following  letter  to  the  Flori 
da  commissioner  is  brief  and  to  the  point :  — 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  107 

"FoRT  PICKENS,  PEXSACOLA  HARBOR,  January  16,  1861. 

"  Col.  William  H.  Chase,  Commissioner  for  the  State  of 
Florida :  — 

"  SIR,  —  Under  the  orders  we  now  have  from  the  War 
Department,  we  have  decided,  after  consultation  with  the 
government  officers  in  the  harbor,  that  it  is  our  duty  to 
hold  our  position  until  such  force  is  brought  against  us 
as  to  render  it  impossible  to  defend  it ;  or  until  the  polit 
ical  condition  of  the  country  is  such  as  to  induce  us  to 
surrender  the  public  property  in  our  keeping  to  such 
authorities  as  may  be  delegated  legally  to  receive  it. 
We  deprecate,  as  much  as  you  or  any  individual  can,  the 
present  condition  of  affairs,  or  the  shedding  of  the  blood 
of  our  brethren.  In  regard  to  this  matter,  however,  we 
must  consider  you  the  aggressors,  and,  if  blood  should 
be  shed,  that  you  are  responsible  therefor. 

"  Signed,  by  order  of  A.  J.  SLEMMER,  First  Lieut.  First 
Artillery,  commanding, 

"  J.  H.  OILMAN,  Second  Lieut.  Artillery, 
Acting  Post  Adjutant  of  Post." 

January  16th.  Colonel  Hayne,  in  the  name  of  Gover 
nor  Pickens,  demanded  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter. 

The  people  of  South  Carolina  demanded  of  Major  An 
derson  the  immediate  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter,  and 
notified  him  that  they  intended  to  take  it,  "  cost  what  it 
would."  Major  Anderson  informed  them  that  he  had  no 
authority  to  act  otherwise  than  to  defend  himself.  He 
was  willing,  however,  to  refer  the  subject  to  the  govern 
ment,  and  that  the  President  could  take  such  action  as  he 
deemed  proper. 

Accordingly,  Colonel  Hayne  was  dispatched  to  Washing 
ton,  and  demanded  of  the  President  the  immediate  removal 
of  Major  Anderson  and  his  forces  from  Fort  Sumter,  as 
the  only  means  of  preventing  war  and  its  long  train  of 
calamities.  He  informed  the  President  that  South  Caro- 


108  THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

lina  "  was  determined  to  take  it  at  all  hazards,"  and  that, 
to  avoid  bloodshed,  he  had  been  authorized  to  negotiate 
for  its  purchase,  and  also  of  other  public  property  in 
South  Carolina ;  but  if  the  President  refused  to  enter  into 
negotiation,  and  declined  to  give  it  up  to  the  State,  then 
they  are  "  determined  to  take  it,"  let  what  will  come ; 
that  the  "  stars  and  stripes  "  that  wave  over  Sumter  must 
come  down, —  if  not  peaceably,  then  forcibly. 

The  President  refused  to  receive  him  in  any  official 
capacity. 

January  17th.  South  Carolina  voted  to  organize  the 
nucleus  of  a  standing  army. 

January  18th.  Virginia  legislature  appropriated  one 
million  dollars  for  the  defence  of  the  State. 

January  19th.  .  State  convention  of  Georgia  adopted 
an  ordinance  of  secession,  208  to  89.  Alexander  H. 
Stephens  and  Herschel  V.  Johnson  voted  in  the  negative. 
Tennessee  legislature  called  a  State  convention. 

January  23d.  Mr.  Etheridge,  of  Tennessee,  in  a  speech 
in  Congress,  declared  secession  to  be  "  rebellion,"  and 
should  be  put  down  at  any  cost. 

January  24th.  The  United  States  arsenal  at  Augusta, 
Georgia,  was  surrendered  to  Governor  Brown. 

January  26th.  The  Louisiana  State  convention  adopt 
ed  an  ordinance  of  secession,  113  to  17. 

January  28th.     Texas  State  convention  met  at  Austin. 

January  30th.  Revenue  cutters  Cass,  Captain  J.  J. 
Morrison,  and  McClelland,  Captain  Breshwood,  surren 
dered  to  the  Louisiana  authorities  by  their  commanders. 

The  United  States  Branch  Mint  and  Custom  House  at 
New  Orleans  were  seized  by  the  State  authorities. 

February  1st.  The  Texas  convention  passed  a  seces 
sion  ordinance,  subject  to  ratification  by  the  people. 

February  4th.  The  rebel  delegates  met  at  Montgom 
ery,  Alabama,  to  organize  a  confederate  government. 
Howell  Cobb  was  chosen  chairman. 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  109 

February  8th.  Col.  Hayne,  commissioner  from  South 
Carolina,  unable  to  get  recognition,  finally  left  Washing 
ton. 

Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia,  seized  New  York  ships 
in  the  harbor  of  Savannah,  in  retaliation  for  the  seizure 
of  arms  in  New  York.  The  ships  were  released  on  the 
tenth. 

The  Montgomery  convention  agreed  to  a  constitution  and 
provisional  government,  and  on  the  9th  elected  Jefferson 
Davis  President,  and  Alexander  H.  Stephens  Vice-Presi 
dent,  of  the  "  Southern  Confederacy."  Little  Rock  arse 
nal  surrendered  to  Arkansas. 

February  18th.  Jefferson  Davis  was  inaugurated  Presi 
dent  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 

February  19th.  Fort  Kearney,  Kansas,  taken  by  se 
cessionists,  but  was  soon  after  retaken  by  Unionists. 

February  21st.  Jefferson  Davis  appointed  his  cabinet : 
—  Robert  Toombs,  of  Georgia,  Secretary  of  State  ;  Charles 
G.  Memminger,  of  South  Carolina,  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  and  L.  P.  Walker,  Secretary  of  War. 

Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia,  made  another  seizure  of 
vessels  belonging  to  New  York. 

February  22d.  President  Lincoln  made  the  journey 
from  Harrisburg  to  Washington  in  the  night,  in  order  to 
prevent  an  anticipated  outrage  in  Baltimore. 

The  ungovernable  rashness  of  the  rebels  was,  at  this 
time,  particularly  manifested  in  an  attempt  to  assassinate 
the  President  on  his  way  to  Washington.  The  friends  of 
Mr.  Lincoln,  having  heard  that  a  conspiracy  existed  to 
assassinate  him,  set  on  foot  an  investigation  of  the  matter, 
and  for  this  purpose  employed  a  detective  of  great  expe 
rience,  who  was  engaged  at  Baltimore  in  the  business 
some  three  weeks  prior  to  Mr.  Lincoln's  expected  arrival 
there,  employing  both  men  and  women  to  assist  him. 
Soon  after  coming  to  Baltimore  the  detective  discovered 
a  combination  of  men,  banded  together  under  a  solemn 
10 


110  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

oath  to  assassinate  the  President  elect.  The  leader  of 
the  conspirators  was  an  Italian  refugee,  a  barber,  well 
known  in  Baltimore,  who  assumed  the  name  of  Orsini,  as 
indicative  of  the  part  he  was  to  perform.  The  assistants 
employed  by  the  detective,  who,  like  himself,  were  stran 
gers  in  Baltimore  city,  by  assuming  to  be  secessionists 
from  Louisiana  and  other  seceding  States,  gained  the  con 
fidence  of  some  of  the  conspirators,  and  were  entrusted 
with  their  plans.  It  was  arranged,  in  case  Mr.  Lincoln 
should  pass  safely  over  the  railroad  to  Baltimore,  that  the 
conspirators  should  mingle  with  the  crowd  which  might 
surround  his  carriage,  and  by  pretending  to  be  his  friends 
be  enabled  to  approach  his  person,  when,  upon  a  signal 
from  their  leader,  some  of  them  would  shoot  at  Mr.  Lin 
coln  with  their  pistols,  and  others  would  throw  into  his 
carriage  hand-grenades  filled  with  detonating  powder, 
similar  to  those  used  in  the  attempted  assassination  of  the 
Emperor  Louis  Napoleon.  It  was  intended  that,  in  the 
confusion  which  should  result  from  this  attack,  the  assail 
ants  should  escape  to  a  vessel  which  was  waiting  in  the 
harbor  to  receive  them,  and  be  carried  to  Mobile,  in  the 
seceding  State  of  Alabama. 

Upon  Mr.  Lincoln's  arrival  in  Philadelphia,  on  Thurs 
day,  the  21st  day  of  February,  the  detective  visited  Phila 
delphia,  and  submitted  to  certain  friends  of  the  President 
elect  the  information  he  had  collected  relative  to  the  con 
spiracy.  An  interview  was  immediately  arranged  between 
Mr.  Lincoln  and  the  detective.  The  interview  took  place 
in  Mr.  Lincoln's  room  in  the  Continental  Hotel,  where  he 
was  staying  during  his  visit  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Lin 
coln,  having  heard  the  officer's  statement,  informed  him 
that  he  had  promised  to  raise  the  "  American  flag "  on 
Independence  Hall  the  next  morning,  the  morning  of  the 
anniversary  of  Washington's  birthday,  and  that  he  had 
accepted  the  invitation  of  the  Pennsylvania  legislature  to 
be  publicly  received  by  that  body  in  the  afternoon  of  the 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE  UNITED   STATES.  Ill 

same  day.  "  Both  of  these  engagements,"  said  he,  with 
emphasis, "  /  will  keep,  if  it  costs  me  my  life.  If,  however, 
after  I  have  concluded  these  engagements,  you  can  take  me 
in  safety  to  Washington,  I  will  place  myself  at  your  dispo 
sal,  and  authorize  you  to  make  such  arrangements  as  you 
may  deem  proper  for  that  purpose."  On  the  next  day,  in 
the  morning,  Mr.  Lincoln  performed  the  ceremony  of  rais 
ing  the  flag  011  Independence  Hall,  in  Philadelphia,  accord 
ing  to  his  promise,  and  arrived  at  Harrisburg  011  the  after 
noon  of  the  same  day,  where  he  was  formally  welcomed 
by  the  Pennsylvania  legislature.  After  the  reception  he 
retired  to  his  hotel,  the  Jones  House,  and  withdrew  with 
a  few  confidential  friends  to  a  private  apartment.  Here 
he  remained  until  nearly  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when, 
in  conlpany  with  Colonel  Lamon,  he  quietly  entered  a 
carriage,  without  observation,  and  was  driven  to  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad,  where  a  special  train  for  Philadel 
phia  was  waiting  for  him.  Simultaneously  with  his  de 
parture  from  Harrisburg,  the  telegraph  wires  were  cut, 
so  that  his  departure,  should  it  become  known,  could  not 
be  communicated  to  any  place  011  the  route.  The  special 
train  arrived  in  Philadelphia  at  a  quarter  before  eleven 
o'clock  at  night.  Here  he  was  met  by  the  "  detective,"  who 
had  a  carriage  in  readiness,  into  which  the  party  entered 
and  were  driven  to  the  depot  of  the  Philadelphia,  Wil 
mington  and  Baltimore  Railroad.  They  did  not  reach  the 
depot  until  a  quarter  past  eleven ;  but,  fortunately  for 
them,  the  regular  train,  the  hour  of  which  for  starting 
was  eleven,  had  been  delayed.  The  party  then  took 
berths  in  the  sleeping-car,  and,  without  change  of  cars, 
passed  directly  through  to  Washington,  where  they  ar 
rived  at  the  usual  hour,  half-past  six,  on  the  morning  of 
Saturday,  the  23d.  Mr.  Lincoln  wore  no  disguise  what 
ever,  but  journeyed  in  an  ordinary  travelling  suit.  It  is 
proper  to  state  here,  that,  prior  to  Mr.  Lincoln's  arrival 
in  Philadelphia,  General  Scott  and  Mr.  Seward,  in  Wash- 


112  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

ington,  had  been  apprised  from  independent  sources  that 
imminent  danger  threatened  Mr.  Lincoln  in  case  he 
should  publicly  pass  through  Baltimore,  and  accordingly 
a  special  messenger,  Mr.  Frederick  W.  Seward,  a  son  of 
Senator  Seward,  was  dispatched  to  Philadelphia  to  urge 
Mr.  Lincoln  to  come  direct  to  Washington  in  a  quiet  man 
ner.  The  messenger  arrived  in  Philadelphia  late  on 
Thursday  night,  and  had  an  interview  with  the  President 
elect  immediately  after  his  interview  with  the  "  detective." 
He  was  informed  that  Mr.  Lincoln  would  arrive  by  the 
early  train  on  Saturday  morning;  and,  in  accordance 
with  this  information,  Mr.  Washburne,  member  of  Con 
gress  from  Illinois,  awaited  the  President  elect,  at  the 
depot  in  Washington,  whence  he  was  taken  in  a  carriage 
to  his  quarters  at  Willard's  Hotel,  where  Senator  Seward 
stood  ready  to  receive  him.  The  detective  travelled  with 
Mr.  Lincoln  under  the  name  of  E.  J.  Allen,  which  was 
registered  with  the  name  of  the  President  elect  on  the 
book  at  Willard's  Hotel.  Being  a  well-known  individual, 
he  was  speedily  recognized,  and  suspicion  naturally  arose 
that  he  had  been  "  instrumental "  in  exposing  the  plot 
which  caused  Mr.  Lincoln's  hurried  journey,  and  thereby 
defeating  the  traitors  in  their  murderous  designs.  It  was 
deemed  prudent  that  he  should  leave  Washington,  two 
days  after  his  arrival,  though  he  had  intended  to  remain 
and  witness  the  ceremonies  of  the  inauguration.  The 
friends  of  Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  question  the  loyalty  and 
hospitality  of  the  people  of  Maryland,  but  they  were 
aware  that  a  few  disaffected  citizens,  who  sympathized 
warmly  with  the  secessionists,  were  determined  to  frus 
trate,  at  all  hazards,  the  inauguration  of  the  President 
elect,  even  at  the  cost  of  his  life.  The  characters  and 
pursuits  of  the  conspirators  were  various ;  some  of  them 
were  impelled  by  fanatical  zeal  which  they  termed  "  pat 
riotism,"  and  they  justified  their  acts  by  the  example  of 
Brutus  in  ridding  his  country  of  a  tyrant.  One  of  them 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  113 

was  accustomed  to  recite  passages  put  into  the  mouth  of 
the  character  of  Brutus,  in  Shakspeare's  play  of  Julius 
Cassar.  Others  were  stimulated  by  the  offer  of  pecuniary 
reward.  These,  it  was  observed,  staid  away  from  their 
usual  places  of  work  for  several  weeks  prior  to  the  in 
tended  assault,  although  their  circumstances  had  pre 
viously  rendered  them  dependent  on  their  daily  labor  for 
support ;  they  were,  during  this  time,  abundantly  supplied 
with  money,  which  they  squandered  in  bar-rooms  and 
disreputable  places.  After  the  discovery  of  the  plot,  a 
strong  watch  was  kept,  by  the  agents  of  detection,  over 
the  movements  of  the  conspirators,  and  efficient  measures 
were  adopted  to  guard  against  any  attack  which  they 
might  meditate  upon  the  President  elect,  until  after  he 
was  installed  in  office. 

Mr.  Lincoln's  family  left  Harrisburg  for  Washington, 
by  way  of  Baltimore,  in  the  special  train  intended  for  him, 
and  as,  before  starting,  a  message  announcing  Mr.  Lin 
coln's  arrival  at  Washington  had  been  telegraphed  to 
Baltimore,  over  the  lines  that  had  been  repaired  that 
morning,  the  passage  of  Mrs.  Lincoln  and  friends  through 
Baltimore  was  safely  effected.  During  the  ceremony  of 
"  raising  the  flag  on  Independence  Hall,"  on  Friday 
morning,  Mr.  Lincoln  remarked  that  he  would  assert  his 
principles  on  his  inauguration,  though  he  were  to  be  as 
sassinated  on  the  spot ;  —  evidently  referring  to  the  com 
munication  made  to  him  on  the  night  previous.  The 
number  originally  banded  together  for  the  assassination  of 
Mr.  Lincoln,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  was  twenty  ; 
but  the  number  of  those  who  were  fully  acquainted  with 
the  details  of  the  plot  became  daily  smaller  as  the  time 
for  executing  it  drew  near.  Some  of  the  women  em 
ployed  by  the  detective  went  to  serve  as  waiters,  seam 
stresses,  &c.,  in  the  families  of  the  conspirators,  and  a 
record  was  regularly  kept  of  what  was  said  and  done  to 
further  their  enterprise.  A  record  was  also  kept,  by  the 
10* 


114  THE  REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

detective,  of  their  deliberations  in  secret  conclave.  Thus 
our  country  was  saved  from  a  great  crime,  and  Maryland 
from  a  foul  blot  that  would  have  stained  her  fair  name, 
by  precautions  which  anticipated  and  thwarted  the  designs 
of  the  conspirators. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Many  and  long  were  the  prayers  that  were  made, 

And  millions  were  bowed  with  sorrow, 
Whilst  they  wept  for  the  glorious  land  thus  betrayed, 

And  bitterly  thought  of  the  morrow. 

FEBRUARY  23.  The  United  States  property  and  army 
posts  in  Texas,  with  the  exception  of  Fort  Brown,  which 
Capt.  Hill  refused  to  surrender  under  Twiggs'  order,  were 
delivered  to  the  State  by  General  Twiggs. 

A  private  letter  from  a  gentleman  in  Texas  gives  a 
brief  account  of  the  treason  of  General  Twiggs.  The 
following  is  an  extract :  — 

"  Before  I  was  out  of  bed,  with  a  great  shout,  heard 
half  a  mile,  the  arsenal  property  was  invested,  and  every 
house  was  filled  with  men,  next  to  the  commissary  and 
pay  department.  This  was  protected  by  two  companies  of 
regulars.  All  day  the  most  intense  excitement  prevailed, 
the  commissioners  on  behalf  of  Texas  and  Gen.  Twiggs 
negotiating.  Over  one  thousand  men  were  under  arms, 
all  our  bridges  guarded,  and  every  moment  a  conflict  was 
expected.  Finally,  Twiggs  ended  in  ignominy  an  infa 
mous  career,  by  giving  up  all ;  and  by  four  o'clock  the 
poor  soldiers  left  their  quarters  and  took  to  camp  a  mile 
out  of  town,  and  their  places  were  filled  by  the  "Knights 
of  the  Golden  Circle.  Only  two  weeks  previous,  Gen. 
Twiggs  furnished  these  very  K.  G.  C.'s  with  arms,  who 
now  drive  him  from  his  position." 

Evidence  sufficient  has  been  received  to  show  that  Gen. 
Twiggs,  in  addition  to  being  a  traitor,  most  basely  de 
ceived  all  the  officers  under  him.  Had  he  resisted  the 

115 


116  THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

demands  of  Texas,  his  whole  force  there  would  have 
stood  by  him  to  the  last. 

The  demoralizing  effect  of  secession  has  had  no  illus 
tration  more  ignominious  and  more  shameless  than  has 
been  afforded  by  the  conduct  of  General  Twiggs.  He 
has  not  merely  violated  his  oaths  and  gone  over  to  the 
insurgents,  but  has  disbanded  his  army,  and  delivered  up 
to  the  State  of  Texas  the  posts  and  property  of  the 
United  States,  —  a  scandalous  betrayal  of  trust.  On  the 
lowest  view  which  can  be  taken  of  military  honor,  his 
conduct  was  infamous. 

Treason,  such  as  characterized  the  career  of  Cobb, 
Thompson,  Floyd,  and  Twiggs,  would  put  to  blush  the 
traitor  "  Arnold,"  while  such  names  as  Lieut.  Hamilton, 
Commodore  Armstrong,  Capt.  Breshwood,  and  other 
traitor  officers  of  the  revenue  service,  should  have  been 
stricken  in  disgrace  from  the  national  muster-rolls,  instead 
of  receiving  from  Secretary  Touccy  the  "  Well  done, 
good  and  faithful  servants,"  and  their  names  still  kept  on 
the  rolls  of  the  American  navy,  side  by  side  with  those 
who  have  either  died  in  defence  of  their  flag,  or  resigned 
from  honorable  motives. 

March  1.  General  Twiggs  was  expelled  from  the 
United  States  army. 

March  2.  Revenue  Cutter  Dodge  surrendered  to  the 
rebels  at  Galveston. 

March  4.  Texas  State  convention  declared  that  State 
out  of  the  Union. 

Inauguration  of  President  Lincoln.  Troops  in  Wash 
ington  were  under  arms  to  prevent  an  apprehended  attack 
from  the  secessionists. 

The  President's  inaugural  address  appealed  alike  to  the 
judgment  and  sympathies  of  the  people.  It  enforced  on 
the  attention  of  all  the  value  of  the  Union  to  the  indi 
vidual  as  we'll  as  the  country,  to  the  humble  citizen  as 
emphatically  as  to  the  President  of  the  United  States ;  yet 


THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 


117 


it  did  not  seem  to  meet  the  approbation  of  the  extremists 
of  either  party.  The  rabid  abolitionists  of  the  North 
thought  it  too  conciliating,  while  the  fire-eating  politicians 
of  the  South  denounced  it  as  being  a  declaration  of  war, 
and  became  exasperated  that  President  Lincoln  should 
express  his  determination  to  hold  the  government  prop 
erty  and  collect  the  revenues,  though  at  the  same  time  the 
city  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  was  in  a  state  of  rebellion,  and 
ten  thousand  men  under  arms  in  the  city  and  vicinity ;  and 
the  tone  of  public  feeling  is  well  illustrated  by  the  com 
ments  of  the  Charleston  Mercury  and  Courier  upon  the 
inaugural  address.  The  Mercury  says  :  — 

"  If  ignorance  could  add  anything  to  folly,  or  insolence 
to  brutality,  the  President  of  the  Northern  States  of  Amer 
ica  has,  in  this  address,  achieved  it.  A  more  lamentable 
display  of  feeble  inability  to  grasp  the  circumstances  of 
this  momentous  emergency  could  scarcely  have  been  con 
ceived.  That  President  Lincoln  will  attempt  to  collect 
revenue  off  the  bar  is  now  beyond  a  question.  What 
then  ?  Here  lies  the  question  in  which  alone  this  State 
is  directly  concerned.  What  course  is  then  to  be  pur 
sued  by  the  Southern  government  ?  There  are  but  two 
open.  The  one,  immediate  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter; 
the  'other,  to  besiege  and  starve  out  the  fortress.  To 
attack  the  fort  will  not  remove  the  men-of-war  from  off 
our  bar.  What,  then,  will  be  gained  ?  It  is  a  question. 
To  reinforce  Fort  Sumter  is  now  only  to  hasten  the 
period  of  starvation,  for  no  ship-of-war  can  enter  our  har 
bor  and  land  supplies.  Should  she  succeed  in  running 
to  the  foi't,  she  will  be  under  the  constant  fire  of  three  or 
four  batteries,  within  telling  and  destructive  distance. 
She  must  be  quickly  destroyed.  «In  the  mean  time,  our 
ships,  or  ships  laden  with  our  goods  for  foreign  ports, 
may  continue  their  course  as  usual.  Even  should  a 
blockade  be  declared,  it  can  in  no  way  interfere  with  the 
egress  and  ingress  of  neutral  bottoms  in  their  ordinary 


118  THE  REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

avocations  of  trade.  A  duty  may,  doubtless,  for  the  pres 
ent,  be  collected  on  such  imports  as  arrive  here  directly 
from  abroad.  Of  this,  reckoning  must  be  made  in  the 
calculation  of  costs,  pro  and  con.  A  few  months  must 
settle  the  whole  question.  And  the  taking  of  Fort 
Sumter  immediately  cannot,  as  far  as  we  can  perceive, 
hasten  that  period.  We>will  be  little  further  when  we 
have  finished  than  when  we  begun,  —  minus  some  valua 
ble  lives." 

The  Charleston  Courier  breaks  forth  in  the  following 
impetuous  strain :  — 

"  Let  the  argument  proceed  to  the  next  logical  and 
necessary  step,  —  an  appeal  to  arms.  We  are  as  well 
ready  as  any  free  people  can  ever  be  expected  to  be  found 
in  advance  of  the  actual  onset ;  and  that  argument  once 
applied,  will  bring  us  new  forces  and  resources.  "We  are 
ready." 

March  5.  Jefferson  Davis  appointed  General  P.  G.  T. 
Beauregard  to  command  the  Confederate  troops  at 
Charleston,  S.  C. 

March  6.  Fort  Brown,  Texas,  surrendered  by  special 
agreement. 

March  9.  The  congress  of  the  Southern  Confederacy 
passed  an  act  for  the  establishment  and  organization  of 
an  army. 

March  12.  The  Confederate  commissioners,  For- 
syth  and  Crawford,  sent  a  communication  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  State,  Mr.  Seward. 

March  15.  Secretary  Seward  replied  to  the  communi 
cation,  declining  official  intercourse. 

March  16.  The  Montgomery  convention  adjourned  to 
May  13. 

March  18.  Supplies  sent  to  Fort  Pickens  were  inter 
cepted  by  the  rebels. 

March  22.  A  meeting  was  held  at  Frankfort,  Ala 
bama,  opposed  to  secession. 


THE  REBELLION  IN   THE  UNITED   STATES. 


119 


March  28.  The  vote  of  Louisiana  on  secession  was 
published  in  the  New  Orleans  papers,  as  follows  :  for 
secession,  20,448  ;  against  secession,  17,296. 

March  30.  Mississippi  convention  ratified  the  Confed 
erate  Constitution,  78  to  7. 

April  3.  A  long  and  exciting  cabinet  meeting  was 
held  in  Washington,  to  take  into  consideration  the  most 
judicious  means  of  relieving  Fort  Sumter,  enforcing  the 
observance  of  the  laws,  and  preparing  for  emergencies 
which  might  arise. 

Great  activity  was  manifested  in  the  Navy  Depart 
ment. 

South  Carolina  convention  ratified  the  Confederate 
Constitution,  114  to  16. 

Rebel  battery  on  Morris  Island  fired  into  a  schooner. 
No  one  hurt. 

April  4.  Virginia  convention  refused  to  submit  a  se 
cession  ordinance  to  the  people,  89  to  45. 

April  7.  General  Beauregard  notified  Major  Ander 
son  that  intercourse  between  the  city  of  Charleston  and 
Fort  Sumter  would  no  longer  be  permitted,  and  that  he 
could  receive  no  more  supplies  from  the  town.  Steam 
transport  Atlantic  sailed  from  New  York  with  troops  and 
supplies. 

April  8.  Lieutenant  Talbot  arrived  in  Charleston,  as 
messenger  from  the  Federal  Government,  and  left  again 
for  Washington  on  the  tenth.  He  held  a  conference  with 
Governor  Pickens  and  Gen.  Beauregard,  the  nature  of 
which  was  to  obtain  permission  for  an  unarmed  store-ship 
to  take  provisions  to  the  starving  garrison  at  Fort  Sum 
ter.  Permission  was  refused.  Whereupon  Lieut.  Talbot 
notified  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina,  in  the  name  of 
the  Federal  Government,  that  supplies  would  be  sent  to 
Major  Anderson,  "  peaceably  if  possible,  otherwise  by 
force."  Lieut.  Talbot  was  not  allowed  to  communicate 
with  Major  Anderson  at  Fort  Sumter. 


120  THE   KEBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED    STATES. 

April  9.  Steamers  Illinois  and  Baltic  sailed  from  New 
York  with  sealed  orders. 

April  10.  The  floating  battery  of  the  rebels  at 
Charleston  having  been  finished,  was  mounted  with  four 
thirty-two  pounders,  two  forty-two's,  and  manned  by  sixty- 
four  men,  and  anchored  in  a  cove  near  Sullivan's  Island, 
in  a  position  commanding  the  barbette  guns  of  Fort  Sum- 
ter. 

South  Carolina  convention  adjourned,  subject  to  the 
call  of  the  president.  Before  adjourning,  it  passed  a 
resolution  approving  of  the  conduct  of  Gen.  TViggs  in 
resigning  his  commission  and  turning  over  the  public 
property  in  Texas  to  the  State  authorities. 

A  special  dispatch  from  Charleston,  under  date  April 
10,  says :  — 

"  About  seven  thousand  troops  are  now  at  the  fortifica 
tions.  Troops  are  pouring  in  from  the  interior  in  great 
numbers.  One  thousand  men  were  sent  to  the  fortifica 
tions  to-day,  and  eighteen  hundred  more  will  go  down  to 
morrow.  Everything  is  ready  for  a  collision.  A  battle 
is  hourly  expected,  for  Fort  Sumter  will  be  attacked  with 
out  waiting  for  the  '  abolition  fleet'  The  beginning  of 
the  end  is  approaching." 

April  11.  The  Confederate  commissioners  left  Wash 
ington  for  Montgomery,  satisfied  that  no  recognition  of 
their  government  would  take  place  under  President  Lin 
coln.  The  commissioners  alleged  that  the  "  Montgomery 
government  was  earnestly  desirous  for  peace,  and  that  in 
accordance  with  their  instructions,  as  well  as  their  own 
feelings,  they  left  no  means  unexhausted  to  attain  that 
much-desired  end."  They  charged  the  administration 
with  gross  perfidy,  and  expressed  their  firm  conviction 
that  war  was  inevitable,  and  that  the  responsibility  would 
rest  on  the  head  of  the  Federal  Government. 

Intense  commotion  was  produced  in  Washington  by 
the  promulgation  of  an  order  calling  out  the  entire  mili- 


THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  121 

tia  of  the  District.  It  was  soon  ascertained,  however, 
that  the  movement  arose  from  precaution,  and  from  the 
immediate  necessity  of  means  of  defence,  in  consequence 
of  information  being  received  of  a  contemplated  move 
ment  for  the  seizure  of  the  city  by  the .  secessionists. 
Near  midnight,  orders  were  issued  for  the  assembling  of 
the  militia  at  their  armories  in  the  morning,  and  officers 
were  engaged  during  the  forenoon  summoning  the  men. 
Some  twenty  companies  were  inspected  at  noon.  Wash 
ington  bore  a  decidedly  warlike  appearance.  Troops 
were  marching  and  countermarching  through  the  streets, 
and  drums  and  fifes  were  heard  in  every  direction.  Sev 
eral  hundred  men  were  mustered  into  service  in  the  course 
of  the  afternoon.  Four  or  five  companies  marched  to 
the  War  Department  and  took  the  army  oath  to  serve  the 
United  States  faithfully  against  all  enemies  or  opposers. 
The  obligation  was  for  three  months  unless  sooner  dis 
charged.  Thirty-two  members  of  SchafFer's  National 
Rifles  resigned,  rather  than  remain  in  the  ranks  under 
the  "  flag  of  the  Union"  in  the  present  emergency.  They 
were  mostly,  if  not  all,  Southern  men.  Nearly  a  thousand 
men  were  enrolled  in  the  regular  service  from  the  District 
militia.  Those  who  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance 
were  marched  back  to  the  armories,  disarmed,  and  their 
names  stricken  from  the  roll. 

While  these  preparations  were  being  made  in  Washing 
ton  for  the  defence  of  the  national  Capitol,  and  the  calls 
of  the  War  Department  were  responded  to  by  many  "  stout 
hearts  and  strong  arms,"  Major  Anderson  and  his  little 
band  of  half-famished  soldiers,  in  Fort  Sumter,  were 
visited  by  Senator  Chesnut,  who  was  deputized,  with  Chis- 
holm  and  Lee,  to  carry  a  message  from  General  Beaure- 
gard,  demanding  the  immediate  and  unconditional  sur 
render  of  the  fort.  Major  Anderson  replied  that  his 
"  sense  of  honor  and  his  obligations  to  his  government 
would  prevent  his  compliance  "  with  the  demand. 
11 


122  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

Perhaps  it  would  be  proper  here  to  state,  that  one  of  the 
delusions  which  has  served  probably  more  than  any  other 
to  encourage  the  secessionists,  is  the  idea  that  the  laborers 
and  workmen  of  the  North  were  all  ready  for  insurrection 
from  want  of  employment.  They  fancied  the  laboring 
classes  of  the  North  were  on  the  point  of  starvation ;  that 
all  the  Southern  States  had  to  do  was  to  commence  the 
war  and  then  stand  still,  and  the  Northern  laborers  would 
fight  their  battles  for  them.  Alas,  for  their  credulity, 
they  will  learn  soon  enough  that  Northern  workmen  are 
the  truest  friends  and  supporters  of  the  Union,  and  that 
the  laboring  classes  are  the  most  loyal  citizens,  who  would 
not  allow  this  government  to  be  trampled  in  the  dust,  in 
the  day  when  the  Constitution  and  the  laws  are  to  be  en 
forced. 

Gen.  B.  F.  Butler,  of  Massachusetts,  talking  with  a 
South  Carolina  commissioner,  the  latter  is  reported  to 
have  told  him,  that  if  Massachusetts  should  send  ten 
thousand  men  to  "  preserve  the  Union  "  against  Southern 
secession,  she  would  have  to  fight  twice  that  number  of 
her  own  citizens  at  home  who  would  oppose  the  policy. 
"  By  no  means,"  Mr.  Butler  replied.  "  When  we  come 
from  Massachusetts  we  will  not  leave  a  single  traitor 
behind,  unless  he  is  hanging  on  a  tree" 

The  following  dispatch  was  received  from  Charleston, 
under  date  of  April  11 :  "A  formal  demand  for  the 
evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter  was  made  at  two  o'clock  to 
day.  Major  Anderson  refused  to  surrender.  His  reply 
is  to  the  effect  that  to  do  so  would  be  inconsistent  with  the 
duty  he  owes  to  his  government.  Hundreds  of  persons 
have  been  waiting  for  hours  on  the  wharves,  and  other 
points  of  observation,  to  see  the  beginning  of  the  conflict, 
among  them  a  great  number  of  ladies.  The  house-tops 
are  covered  with  people,  watching  with  feverish  interest 
for  the  first  signal  of  attack.  The  excitement  in  the  city 
is  intense ;  every  train  brings  throngs  of  citizens  and 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  123 

soldiers  to  town  ;  twenty-two  car  loads  came  from  Colum 
bia  to-night,  and  advices  have  just  been  received  that 
Georgia  has  ready  fifty  thousand  men  armed  and  equipped 
for  service. 

"  A  call  has  been  made  for  three  hundred  mounted 
volunteers  as  an  extra  patrol  in  the  city  to-night.  Over 
one  thousand  have  responded.  The  Sixteenth  Regiment 
has  also  been  ordered  on  duty ;  the  Citadel  Cadets  are 
guarding  the  battery  with  heavy  cannon.  The  movements 
at  Fort  Sumter  are  plainly  visible  with  a  glass.  Major 
Anderson  has  been  busy  all  day  strengthening  his  position. 

"  Senators  Wigfall,  Chesnut,  Ex-Governor  Manning  of 
South  Carolina,  Hon.  Wm.  Porcher  Miles,  ex-member 
of  Congress,  and  Pry  or  of  Virginia,  are  on  the  staff  of 
Gen.  Beauregard,  doing  duty  to-night ;  stirring  times  are 
at  hand ;  the  ball  may  open  at  any  moment  with  great 
slaughter ;  thousands  are  waiting  to  see  the  attack  com 
menced." 

It  is  estimated  that  between  six  and  seven  thousand 
men  were  stationed  on  Morris'  and  Sullivan's  Islands  and 
points  along  the  coast.  Every  man  capable  of  bearing 
arms  was  called  out ;  and  all  to  fight  sixty  men. 

Major  Anderson  fired  a  signal  gun  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  probably  hoping  to  get  a  response  from  the 
"  fleet "  coming  to  his  assistance. 

April  12.  Hostilities  commenced.  At  half-past  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  Fort  Moultrie  began  the  bom 
bardment  of  Fort  Sumter,  after  which  the  batteries  at 
Mount  Pleasant,  Cumming's  Point,  and  the  floating  bat 
tery,  opened  a  brisk  fire  with  shot  and  shell.  Everybody 
was  in  a  ferment ;  some  of  those  fighting  were  stripped 
to  the  waist. 

Fort  Sumter  remained  silent,  no  signs  of  life  or  anima 
tion  for  two  hours  and  a  half,  while  the  shot  and  shell 
flew  thick  and  fast  from  seventeen  mortars  and  thirty 
large  guns,  mostly  columbiads,  until  seven  o'clock,  the 


124  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

bombardment  still  going  on,  Major  Anderson  opened  from 
the  two  tiers  of  guns  looking  towards  Fort  Moultric  and 
Stevens'  Battery,  and  the  first  gun  that  was  fired  by  the 
"  Federal  troops "  in  the  war  of  1861  boomed  forth 
towards  Moultrie. 

The  war  cry  was  sounded  —  hostilities  commenced,  ran 
along  the  wires  of  the  telegraph,  reverberated  among  the 
hills  of  New  England,  and  aroused  the  sturdy  sons  of 
Maine.  The  great  heart  of  the  North  "  stood  still,"  as 
if  in  its  suspended  vibrations  it  might  hear,  coming  from 
the  far  distant  parapets  of  Sumter,  the  notes  of  victory. 

The  firing  continued  uninterruptedly  during  the  day, 
Major  Anderson  dividing  his  shots  between  Fort  Moul 
trie,  the  Stevens  and  floating  batteries,  and  Fort  Johnson, 
with  all  the  skill  and  determination  of  a  great  military 
chieftain,  worthy  of  his  position,  until  six  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  when  he  ceased  firing,  and  was  engaged  during 
the  night  repairing  damages,  and  preparing  for  an  early 
attack  upon  the  enemy.  The  firing,  however,  was  kept 
up  all  night  on  Fort  Sumter.  A  bomb  was  thrown  into 
the  fort  every  twenty  minutes  during  the  night,  but 
Sumter's  guns  remained  silent  until  the  morning  broke, 
when  Major  Anderson  commenced  to  return  the  fire  of 
the  "  Confederates,"  which  was  kept  up  with  unintermit- 
ting  vigor. 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  dense  smoke  poured 
out  from  Fort  Sumter,  and  it  was  soon  ascertained  that 
the  officers'  quarters,  sheds,  and  wood-work  of  the  fort 
had  taken  fire  from  one  of  the  enemy's  shells.  They 
have  now  to  contend  with  an  internal  enemy.  Fort 
Sumter  is  on  fire.  The  Federal  flag  is  placed  at  half- 
mast,  signalizing  distress,  while  the  shells  from  Fort 
Moultrie  and  the  batteries  on  Morris  Island  fall  thick 
and  fast  into  Major  Anderson's  stronghold.  The  little 
garrison  of  Sumter  are  only  occupied  trying  to  put  out 
the  fire,  —  no  time  to  return  the  shot  of  the  enemy.  The 


THE  REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  125 

flames  had  forced  the  destruction  of  nearly  all  the  pow- 
der?  —  ninety  barrels  had  been  rolled  out  to  prevent 
explosion ;  the  cartridges  were  gone,  and  none  could  be 
made ;  the  entire  wood-works  of  the  fort  are  one  vast 
sheet  of  flames ;  a  raft  is  thrown  out,  loaded  with  men, 
who  are  passing  up  buckets  of  water  to  extinguish  the 
fire,  —  they  now  become  objects  of  fire  from  Morris 
Island,  and  the  balls  are  seen  skipping  over  the  water 
and  striking  the  unprotected  raft.  Meantime  Major  An 
derson's  guns  were  silent.  He  allowed  his  men  to  be 
exposed  to  the  galling  fire  upon  them  but  for  a  few  mo 
ments,  then  ordered  them  in  and  shut  the  batteries,  as 
the  smoke  was  too  thick  to  work  them.  Fort  Sumter  is 
greatly  disabled ;  several  of  her  large  guns  are  dis 
mounted,  two  of  its  portholes  are  knocked  into  one,  and 
the  wall  from  the  top  is  crumbling,  and  yet  the  "  stars 
and  stripes  "  still  wave. 

Shells  from  Gumming' s  Point  and  Fort  Moultrie  are 
bursting  in  and  over  Fort  Sumter  in  quick  succession. 
Every  shot  now  seems  to  tell  heavily.  About  one  o'clock, 
P.M.,  the  flag-staff  was  shot  away,  and  the  flag  nailed  to 
the  piece  and  displayed  from  the  ramparts.  Three  times 
Major  Anderson's  barracks  were  on  fire,  and  twice  he 
succeeded  in  putting  out  the  flames,  but  the  third  time  it 
was  beyond  control,  and  everything  "burnable"  about 
the  fort  was  destroyed;  the  flames  burst  through  the 
roofs  of  the  houses  within  its  walls,  and  dense  clouds  of 
smoke  shot  quickly  upward.  Major  Anderson  fired  only 
occasionally ;  the  guns  on  the  ramparts  of  Sumter  had 
no  utterance  in  them ;  bursted  shells  and  grape  scattered 
like  hail  over  the  doomed  fort,  and  drove  the  soldiers 
under  cover ;  from  the  iron  battery  at  Cumming's  Point  a 
continuous  fire  was  kept  up  from  three  ten-inch  colum- 
biads,  three  sixty-four  pounders,  three  mortars  and  one 
rifled  cannon,  while  the  floating  battery  and  Fort  Moul 
trie  continued  very  regular  and  accurate,  until  half-past 
11* 


126  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

one,  P.  M.,  when  Major  Anderson,  finding  it  impossible  to 
hold  out  longer,  or,  at  least,  that  resistance  was  vain,  and 
despairing  of  any  hope  of  help  from  the  "  fleet,"  run  up 
the  white  flag,  and  an  unconditional  surrender  was  made. 
After  Major  Anderson's  flag-staif  was  shot  away,  Col. 
Wigfall,  one  of  Gen.  Beauregard's  aids,  went  to  Fort 
Sumter  with  a  white  flag,  to  offer  assistance  in  extin 
guishing  the  flames.  He  approached  the  burning  fortress 
from  Morris  Island,  while  the  fire  was  raging  on  all  sides, 
and  effected  a  landing  at  Fort  Sumter.  He  approached 
a  porthole,  and  was  met  by  Major  Anderson.  The  latter 
said  he  had  displayed  a  white  flag,  but  the  firing  from  the 
South  Carolina  batteries  was  kept  up,  nevertheless.  The 
double-tongued  traitor  from  the  "  cotton-fields  of  Texas  " 
replied  that  Major  Anderson  must  haul  down  the  Ameri 
can  flag;  that  no  parley  would  be  granted,  and  that 
"  surrender  or  fight "  was  the  word.  Major  Anderson 
then  took  clown  the  stars  and  stripes,  and  displayed  only 
a  flag  of  truce.  All  firing  instantly  ceased,  with  the 
exception  of  one  gun  fired  by  Senator  Chesnut,  and 
another  naembcr  of  the  staff  of  Gen.  Beauregard,  which 
was  fired  by  way  of  "  amusement "  from  Mount  Pleasant, 
which  made  a  large  hole  in  the  parapet.  Afterwards, 
two  officers  of  Gen.  Beauregard's  staff,  with  ex-Senator 
Chesnut  and  ex-Governor  Manning,  came  over  in  a  boat 
and  stipulated  with  Major  Anderson  that  his  surrender 
should  be  unconditional  for  the  present,  subject  to  the 
terms  of  General  Beauregard,  after  which  he  and  his 
men  were  allowed  to  remain  in  possession  of  the  fort, 
while  Messrs.  Chesnut  and  Manning  came  over  to  the 
city,  accompanied  by  a  member  of  the  Palmetto  Guards, 
bearing  the  colors  of  his  company.  These  were  met  by 
hundreds  of  citizens,  and  as  they  marched  up  the  streets 
to  the  general's  quarters,  the  crowd  was  swelled  to  thou 
sands,  shouts  rent  the  air,  and  the  wildest  joy  was  mani 
fested.  Three  fire-engines  were  sent  down  to  the  fort, 


THE   EEBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  127 


for  the  purpose  of  extinguishing  the  flames  ;  but  the  fire 
had,  however,  been  previously  extinguished  by  Anderson 
and  his  men. 

The  "  fleet "  laid  idly  by  during  thirty  hours,  silent 
witnesses  of  the  contest,  and  either  could  not  or  would 
not  come  to  his  assistance  ;  probably,  however,  not  being 
ships  of  war,  they  were  incapable  of  rendering  any  mate 
rial  aid  against  such  a  powerful  enemy.  During  the 
engagement,  it  is  said,  the  soldiers  in  Fort  Sumter  were 
perfectly  reckless  of  their  lives,  and  at  every  shot  would 
jump  upon  the  ramparts,  observe  the  effect,  and  then 
jump  down,  cheering,  and  yet  no  one  was  killed  in  Sum 
ter  during  the  action,  and  but  four  or  five  wounded,  and 
the  rebels  say  none  was  killed  on  their  side,  though  quite 
a  number  were  struck  by  spent  pieces  of  shell  and 
knocked  down,  but  none  hurt  seriously. 

After  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  a  boat,  with  an  officer 
and  ten  men,  was  sent  from  one  of  the  United  States 
ships  composing  the  fleet  in  the  offing,  to  Gen.  Simons, 
commander  of  the  forces  on  Morris  Island,  with  a  request 
that  a  merchant  ship,  or  one  of  the  government  vessels, 
be  allowed  to  enter  and  take  off  the  commander  and  gar 
rison  of  Fort  Sumter.  Gen.  Simons  replied  that  if  no 
hostilities  were  attempted  during  the  night,  and  no  effort 
being  made  to  reinforce  or  retake  Fort  Sumter,  he  would 
give  them  an  answer  at  nine  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning. 
The  officer  signified  that  this  was  satisfactory,  and  re 
turned.  On  Sunday,  the  fourteenth,  the  last  act  in  the 
"  drama "  of  Fort  Sumter  was  concluded  Major  Ander 
son  and  his  command,  taking  with  them  their  wounded, 
left  the  fort  and  sailed  for  New  York.  He  saluted  his 
flag,  and  the  company  then  forming  on  the  parade- 
ground,  marched  out  on  the  wharf,  with  drum  and  fife 
playing  "  Yankee  Doodle." 

The  Confederate  flag  was  raised  over  Fort  Sumter  late 
in  the  afternoon  on  Sunday,  and  the  fort  was  garrisoned 


128  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

by  the  "  Palmetto  Guards,"  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Ripley,  who  took  command  of  Fort  Moultrie  after 
the  departure  of  Major  Anderson.  A  correspondent  of 
one  of  the  New  York  papers,  writing  from  Charleston, 
says :  "  One  of  the  aids  carried  brandy  to  Major  Ander 
son  in  a  boat  after  the  fire,  and  the  latter  said  it  was  very 
acceptable,  as  the  men  were  completely  exhausted  by 
their  labors  ;"  the  correspondent  adds,  "  I  mention  this  to 
show  the  kind  and  chivalrous  relations  existing  between 
the  officers." 

Perhaps  their  ideas  are  sufficiently  extensive  to  induce 
them  to  believe  it  was  a  manifestation  of  "  chivalry  "  in 
ex-Senator  Chesnut  and  his  colleague  to  fire  a  sixty-four 
pounder  into  a  fort  with  a  white  flag  flying  from  its  ram 
parts,  just  for  "  amusement"  or  in  firing  upon  an  unpro 
tected  raft,  covered  with  defenceless  men,  who,  thought 
less  of  their  own  safety,  are  laboring  assiduously  to  sub 
due  the  raging  flames. 

The  excitement  in  Charleston,  during  the  contest,  is 
said  to  be  immense.  The  housetops,  the  battery,  the 
wharves,  the  shipping,  and  in  fact  every  available  place, 
was  taken  possession  of  by  the  multitude.  The  streets 
were  filled  with  men,  women,  and  children,  old  and 
young,  black  and  white.  Some  went  to  the  battery,  some 
to  the  wharves,  and  some  to  the  steeples  of  the  churches, 
to  view  the  solemn  spectacle,  and  many  a  tearful  eye 
attested  the  anxious  affection  of  the  mother,  wife,  and 
sister,  for  those  engaged  in  the  contest.  But  with  the 
display  of  a  flag  of  truce,  and  the  announcement  that 
Fort  Sumter  had  unconditionally  surrendered,  the  bells 
rang  out  a  merry  peal,  cannon  were  fired,  and  the  people 
engaged  in  every  demonstration  of  joy. 

Troops  poured  into  the  city  by  hundreds,  and  people 
were  constantly  arriving  on  horseback,  and  by  every 
other  conveyance.  Within  an  area  of  fifty  miles,  where 
the  thunder  of  the  artillery  could  be  heard,  the  effect 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  129 

was  magnificently  terrible.  It  was  estimated  that  two 
thousand  shots  were  fired,  and  that  ten  thousand  men 
were  under  arms  in  the  harbor  and  on  the  coast.  Fort 
Moultrie  was  badly  damaged.  The  officers'  quarters  and 
barracks  were  torn  to  pieces.  The  frame-houses  on  the 
island  were  riddled  with  shot  in  many  instances,  and 
whole  sides  of  houses  were  torn  out.  The  other  fortifica 
tions  sustained  but  little  injury. 

THE    REBEL    FORTIFICATIONS. 

The  nearest  point  of  land  to  Fort  Sumter  is  Cum- 
ming's  Point  —  distance  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards.  On  this  point  is  a  railroad  iron  battery.  It 
consists  of  a  heavy  frame-work  of  yellow  pine  logs.  The 
roof  is  of  the  same  material,  over  which  dovetailed  bars 
of  railroad  iron  of  the  T  pattern  are  laid  from  top  to 
bottom  —  all  of  which  is  riveted  down  in  the  most  secure 
manner.  On  the  front  it  presents  an  angle  of  about 
thirty  degrees.  There  are  three  port-holes,  which  open 
and  close  with  iron  shutters  of  the  heaviest  description. 
When  open,  the  muzzles  of  the  columbiads  fill  up  the 
space  completely.  The  recoil  of  the  gun  enables  the 
shutters  to  be  closed  instantly.  The  guns  of  the  work 
bear  on  the  south  wall  of  Sumter,  the  line  of  fire  being 
at  an  angle  of  about  thirty-five  degrees. 

The  Fort  Johnson  batteries  consist  of  two  huge  sand 
works,  containing  mortar  and  siege-gun  batteries. 

These  works  are  one  and  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from 
Fort  Sumter,  and  at  present  manned  by  two  companies 
of  regular  artillery. 

The  Fort  Morris  battery,  on  Morris  Island,  has  three 
columbiads  and  four  mortars,  which  can  be  used  either 
for  Fort  Sumter  or  for  the  channel,  being  en  barbette. 

Green's  battery  has  four  columbiads  and  two  forty-two 
pounders  en  barbette,  which  will  sweep  the  whole  island. 


180  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

There  are  on  this  island  twelve  batteries  in  all.  Be 
sides  these  are  Castle  Pinckney,  on  the  lower  end  of  Shute's 
Folly  Island,  Fort  Moultrie,  on  a  peninsula  opposite  Fort 
Sumter,  and  several  works  lower  down  to  guard  the  en 
trance  of  the  port. 

A  rather  amusing  anecdote  is  told  of  an  old  slave,  who 
passed  through  the  hottest  fire,  with  a  sloop-load  of  wool, 
on  Friday  evening,  and  came  safely  to  the  city.  Somebody 
told  him  he  would  be  killed  in  the  attempt.  "  Can't  help 
dat,"  said  he,  "  must  go  to  de  town  to-night.  If  anybody 
hurt  dis  chile  or  dis  boat,  massa  see  him  about  it  shuah." 
His  sloop  received  four  shots. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Still,  as  in  battle's  fiery  front, 

I  saw  my  country's  flag  unrolled, 
Meet  the  dread  storm's  impetuous  brunt, 

And  fling  the  tempest  from  its  fold. 

LUNT. 

THE  news  of  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter  created  a  pro 
found  sensation  throughout  the  entire  North.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  give  even  a  faint  idea  of  the  excited  state 
of  the  public  mind,  —  words  are  inadequate  to  express 
anything  like  the  reality. 

We  pause  to  contemplate  the  terrible  event,  the  com 
mencement  of  actual  warfare  between  two  portions  of  the 
United  States,  —  brother  against  brother.  But  the  great 
fact  is  upon  us.  Civil  war  has  been  commenced,  and 
there  are  few  among  us  who  are  ready  to  see  this  glorious 
government  prostrate  in  the  dust  at  the  feet  of  traitors. 
Fraternal  blood  must  be  shed,  the  government  must  be 
sustained. 

Coincident  with  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter,  the 
slumbering  patriots  of  the  free  States  awoke  to  the  fearful 
reality  that  war  was  inaugurated.  Party  divisions  and 
political  factions  were  immediately  sunk  in  one  common 
grave ;  love  for  their  country  and  loyalty  to  the  govern 
ment  was  the  all-pervading  spirit,  —  every  countenance 
was  wild  with  enthusiasm. 

The  "  smell  of  battle  "  seemed  to  put  new  nerve  into 
the  sons  of  New  England,  and  they  arose  in  their  might, 
and,  with  one  heart,  rallied  around  the  standard  for  the 
defence  of  the  "  Constitution,"  irrespective  of  "  party." 

131 


132  THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

They  came,  as  one  man,  ready  to  lay  their  lives  on  the 
"altar"  of  their  country. 

Telegraph  and  newspaper  offices  were  crowded  to  reple 
tion,  eager  for  the  least  item  of  intelligence  from  the  seat 
of  war.  The  streets  were  literally  black  with  human 
beings  wandering  up  and  down  discussing  the  probable 
"  attack  upon  the  national  capital,"  and  the  final  result ; 
while  here  and  there  an  excited  crowd,  with  tearful  eyes, 
dwelt  with  generous  ardor  upon  the  picture  of  the  long 
vigil  in  Sumter ;  the  midnight  transfer  from  Fort  Moul- 
trie  ;  and  recounted  the  weary  watch  of  the  little  garrison 
for  reinforcements,  which  an  imbecile  and  vacillating 
President  ordered  to-day  and  recalled  to-morrow.  They 
pictured  the  eighty  men  looking  out  daily  upon  the  vast 
preparations  made  for  their  destruction  ;  obedient  to  their 
orders  to  act  only  on  the  defensive ;  daily  giving  of  their 
failing  strength  to  add  what  little  they  might  to  the  de 
fences  of  their  post;  watching  with  anxious  eyes  their 
decreasing  store  of  provisions,  their  brave  hearts  never 
faltering  from  duty.  They  spoke  of  the  calm  Sabbath 
morning  (February  3)  011  which  the  women  and  children 
belonging  to  the  garrison  took  their  sad  farewell  of  hus 
bands  and  fathers,  and  sailed  for  New  York,  to  find  shel 
ter  from  the  coming  storm.  Over  and  over  again  did 
they  describe  the  attack,  made  hastily,  in  fear  of  the  arri 
val  of  reinforcements ;  the  first  guns,  at  early  day,  from 
Fort  Moultrie ;  the  reply  from  Sumter ;  the  growing  cir 
cle  of  fire  around  the  devoted  garrison ;  the  crowds  gath 
ered  in  the  city's  front  to  witness  the  unequal  strife,  and 
rejoice  in  the  attempt  of  six  thousand  men  to  slay  eighty 
of  their  countrymen,  —  that  in  that  solemn  moment  a  late 
United  States  senator  "  fired  a  gun  by  way  of  amuse 
ment  ;  "  and  that  five  thousand  South  Carolinian  women, 
denying  the  gentle  instincts  of  womanhood,  gathered  to 
view  the  bloody  spectacle,  ready  to  respond  to  any  sacri 
fice  that  might  be  required  of  them;  not  forgetting  to 


THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  133 

relate,  with  wondering  scorn,  that  even  in  this  great  crisis 
of  the  nation's  history  there  was  here  and  there  to  be 
found  at  the  "  North"  a  handful  of  pitiful  traitors  to  glory- 
in  the  progress  of  treason. 

The  12th  of  April,  1861,  is  a  day  ever  memorable  in 
our  annals,  —  treason  has  risen  from  blustering  words  to 
cowardly  deeds.  They  have  deliberately  chosen  the  issue 
of  battle ;  he  who  hesitates  in  his  allegiance  is  a  traitor 
with  them.  But  there  was  no  hesitation.  The  country 
responded  as  one  man  to  the  call  upon  its  resources,  and 
thousands  on  thousands  of  freemen  only  waited  for  the 
"  war  note  "  to  be  sounded  from  the  national  capital,  to 
take  up  arms  and  march  to  the  battle-field.  The  glorious 
old  "  stars  and  stripes  "  were  simultaneously  thrown  to  the 
breeze  from  millions  of  dwellings,  stores,  and  public 
buildings,  and  suspended  across  the  principal  streets  and 
avenues  in  the  greatest  profusion ;  some  large  buildings 
displayed  miniature  "  flags  "  from  each  and  every  window  ; 
many  public  buildings,  stores,  etc.,  were  decorated  with 
festoons  of  red,  white,  and  blue,  bearing  appropriate  mot 
toes,  surmounted  by  an  eagle,  shield,  or  some  other  em 
blem  of  liberty.  Union  rosettes  and  badges  were  uni 
versally  adopted  by  men,  women,  and  children.  The 
greatest  enthusiasm  was  manifested  throughout  the  entire 
free  States. 

When  slumbering  Treason  woke  at  last 

On  South  Carolina's  soil, 
And  all  the  patriots'  hopes  were  past 

To  avert  the  fatal  broil ;  — 

When  the  first  white  smoke  that  curled  above 

The  cannon  on  the  beach, 
And  the  ball  was  sped  at  "  Sumter's  walls/' 

To  make  the  deadly  breach ;  — 

Then  Northern  heroes  went  to  arms, 

Looking  to  God  above 
To  care  for  wives  and  children  left, 

And  shield  them  with  his  love. 

12 


134  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED    STATES. 

"  Give  us,"  they  cried,  "from  heaven  above, 

The  stars  and  azure  blue, 
And  we  will  make  the  stripes  ourselves  !  "  — 

They've  kept  their  promise  true. 

Our  gallant  sailors  on  the  deep 

Have  twice  flung  to  the  breeze 
Our  good  old  flag  on  hostile  forlts, 

Among  palmetto  trees. 

And  though  we  mourn  for  those  who  fell 

For  the  land  they  died  to  save, 
Still  we  feel  a  glow  of  honest  pride 

That  they  fill  a  "  patriot's  grave." 

April  15th.  President's  proclamation  issued,  calling 
for  seventy-five  thousand  volunteers,  and  commanding 
the  rebels  to  return  to  peace  within  twenty  days ;  also 
calling  for  an  extra  session  of  Congress,  to  convene 
July  4th. 

BY  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  —  A  PROCLAMATION. 

Whereas,  the  laws  of  the  United  States  have  been  for 
some  time  past  and  now  are  opposed,  and  the  execution 
thereof  obstructed,  in  the  States  of  South  Carolina,  Geor 
gia,  Alabama,  Florida,  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas, 
by  a  combination  too  powerful  to  be  suppressed  by  the 
ordinary  course  of  judicial  proceedings,  or  by  the  powers 
vested  in  marshals  by  the  law  ;  now,  therefore,  I,  Abra 
ham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States,  in  virtue  of 
the  power  in  me  vested  by  the  Constitution  and  the  laws, 
have  thought  fit  to  call  forth,  and  hereby  do  call  forth,  the 
militia  of  the  several  States  of  the  Union,  to  the  aggregate 
number  of  seventy-five  thousand,  in  order  to  suppress 
said  combinations  and  to  cause  the  laws  to  be  duly  exe 
cuted.  The  details  of  this  object  will  be  immediately 
communicated  to  the  State  authorities  through  the  War 
Department. 

I  appeal  to  all  loyal  citizens  to  facilitate  and  aid  this 


THE  REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  135 

effort  to  maintain  the  honor,  the  integrity,  and  the  exist 
ence  of  our  national  Union,  and  the  perpetuity  of  popu 
lar  government,  and  to  redress  the  wrongs  already  long 
enough  endured.  I  deem  it  proper  to  say  that  the  first 
service  assigned  to  the  forces  hereby  called  forth  will  prob 
ably  be  to  repossess  the  forts,  places  and  property  which 
have  been  seized  from  the  Union,  and  in  every  event  the 
utmost  care  will  be  observed,  consistently  with  the  objects 
aforesaid,  to  avoid  any  devastation,  any  destruction  of  or 
interference  with  property,  or  any  disturbance  of  peaceful 
citizens  in  any  part  of  the  country.  I  hereby  command 
the  persons  composing  the  combinations  aforesaid  to  dis 
perse  and  retire  peaceably  to  their  respective  abodes  with 
in  twenty  days  from  this  date. 

Deeming  that  the  present  condition  of  public  affairs 
presents  an  extraordinary  occasion,  I  do  hereby,  in  virtue 
of  the  power  in  me  vested  by  the  Constitution,  convene 
both  Houses  of  Congress.  Senators  and  representatives 
are  therefore  summoned  to  assemble  at  their  respective 
chambers  at  twelve  o'clock,  noon,  on  Thursday,  the  fourth 
day  of  July  next,  and  there  to  consider  and  determine 
such  measures  as  in  their  wisdom  the  public  safety  and 
interest  may  seem  to  demand. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 
caused  the  seal  of  the  United  States  to  be  affixed. 

Done  at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  fifteenth  day  of 
April,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-one,  and  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States  the  eighty-fifth. 

(Signed)  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

By  the  President, 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD,  Secretary  of  State. 

The  requisition  from  Washington  for  troops  came  to 
the  Governor  of  Massachusetts  by  telegraph,  at  about  two 
o'clock,  on  the  fifteenth,  calling  for  two  regiments  of  ten 


136  THE  REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

companies  of  sixty-four  men  each.  It  was  requested  that 
the  companies  be  got  ready  as  soon  as  possible,  and  for 
warded,  by  companies,  immediately  to  Washington. 

The  Governor  had  a  consultation  with  his  staff,  and 
finally  decided  upon  ordering  out  the  Third,  Fourth,  Sixth 
and  Eighth  Regiments  of  infantry.  The  following  order 
was  accordingly  issued :  — 

COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

HEAD  QUARTERS,  BOSTON,  April  15,  1861. 

Special  Order  No.  14. 

You  are  hereby  ordered  to  muster  the  regiment  under 
your  command,  in  uniform,  on  Boston  Common  forthwith, 
in  compliance  with  a  requisition  made  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States.      The  troops  are  to  go  to  Washing 
ton.     The  regimental  band  will  be  dispensed  with. 
By  order  of  his  Excellency  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Governor 
and  Commander-in-Chief. 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adj.  General. 

To  Cols.  Edward  F.  Jones,  6th  Regiment;  Abner  B. 
Packard,  4th  Regiment ;  David  W.  Wardrop,  3d  Regi 
ment  ;  Lt.  Col.  Timothy  Munroe,  8th  Regiment. 

Major  Cook,  of  the  Boston  Light  Artillery,  had  tendered 
the  services  of  his  company,  but  the  Governor  did  not 
feel  at  liberty  to  accept  the  offer,  as  the  call  of  the  Presi 
dent  was  for  infantry  only. 

The  Third  Regiment  was  commanded  by  Col.  David  W. 
Wardrop,  of  New  Bedford,  and  consisted  of  six  companies, 
one  from  each  of  the  towns  of  Halifax,  Plymouth,  Free 
town,  Plympton  and  Carver,  and  the  city  of  New  Bed 
ford. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  was  commanded  by  Col.  Abner 
B.  Packard,  of  Quincy,  and  consisted  of  companies  from 
Canton,  Easton,  Braintree,  Randolph,  Abington,  Foxboro', 
Taunton,  Quincy  and  Hingham. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  137 

The  Sixth  Regiment  was  commanded  by  Col.  Edward 
F.  Jones,  of  Lowell.  It  consisted  of  four  companies  from 
Lowell,  two  from  Lawrence,  and  one  from  Grotoii  and 
Acton  —  making  eight. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  was  commanded  by  Lieut.  Col. 
Timothy  Munroe,  of  Lynn,  Col.  Coffin  having  recently 
resigned.  It  consisted  of  three  companies  from  Marble- 
head,  two  from  Lynn,  and  one  each  from  Newburyport, 
Beverly  and  Gloucester. 

Lieut.  Col.  Munroe  raised  five  hundred  volunteers  in 
Lynn,  on  Monday  evening,  the  15th,  in  addition  to  the 
two  companies  belonging  to  his  regiment.  A  purse  of 
five  hundred  dollars  was  raised  immediately  to  start  with. 

During  the  forenoon  Gen.  B.  F.  Butler  tendered  his 
brigade  to  the  Governor,  and  several  other  officers  of  the 
Massachusetts  Volunteer  Militia  made  application  to  have 
their  services  accepted. 

New  York  legislature  voted  thirty  thousand  men  and 
three  million  dollars  for  putting  down  the  rebellion. 

Several  Southern  vessels,  at  New  York,  were  seized 
and  fined  for  irregular  clearances. 

Governor  Magoffin,  of  Kentucky,  in  reply  to  Secretary 
Cameron's  dispatch  calling  for  troops,  says, —  "  Kentucky 
will  furnish  no  troops  for  the  wicked  purpose  of  subduing 
her  sister  Southern  States." 

Governor  Letcher,  of  Virginia,  in  reply  to  the  call  for 
troops  from  that  State,  says,  —  "  The  militia  of  Virginia 
will  not  be  furnished  to  the  powers  at  Washington  for 
any  such  use  or  purpose  as  they  have  in  view." 

Governor  Ellis,  of  North  Carolina,  telegraphed  to  the 
President  that  he  could  not  respond  to  the  call  for  troops, 
as  he  had  doubts  of  his  authority  and  right  to  do  so. 

Governor  Harris,  of  Tennessee,  and  Governor  Jackson, 
of  Missouri,  also  refused  to  furnish  troops  for  the  govern 
ment  at  Washington. 

Governor  Harris  says,  —  "  Tennessee  will  not  furnish  a 
12* 


138  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES. 

single  man  for  coercion,  but  fifty  thousand,  if  necessary, 
for  the  defence  of  our  rights  or  those  of  our  Southern 
brothers." 

Governor  Jackson  says, —  "The  requisition  is  illegal, 
unconstitutional,  revolutionary,  inhuman  and  diabolical, 
and  cannot  be  complied  with." 

The  government  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  called 
for  thirty-two  thousand  men ;  —  two  thousand  from  Flori 
da,  and  five  thousand  from  each  of  the  other  seceded 
States. 

April  16th,  17th,  etc.  General  uprising  in  the  North ; 
—  proclamations,  military  orders,  voting  men  and  money, 
the  order  of  the  day.  In  the  principal  cities  mobs  visited 
newspaper  offices  and  firms  suspected  of  disloyalty,  and 
compelled  them  to  raise  the  stars  and  stripes.  Legislatures 
not  in  session  were  called  together  ;  banks  offered  loans 
to  the  government ;  great  public  meetings  were  held ;  and 
Union  badges  worn  by  everybody. 

April  16th.  The  four  regiments  of  Massachusetts  vol 
unteers,  ordered  to  report  for  service  in  Boston,  began  to 
arrive  there  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning ;  many  of  the 
men  having  left  their  homes  with  not  more  than  two 
hours'  notice, —  dropped  their  tools,  left  their  work-shops, 
their  work  half  finished,  bid  a  hasty  farewell  to  wives  and 
mothers,  brushed  away  the  falling  tear, —  and  hurried  off 
to  respond  to  their  country's  call.  That  last  hearty 
"  God  bless  you  !  "  which  lingered  upon  the  lips  of  loved 
ones,  with  many  will  remain  the  parting  words  until  the 
morning  of  the  resurrection. 

Merchants,  and  business  men  generally,  not  only  re 
sponded  liberally  to  the  demands  upon  them  for  money, 
but  nobly  and  generously  offered  those  in  their  employ,  if 
any  wished  to  go  to  fight  for  their  country,  that  their  sal 
aries  should  be  continued  on,  or  duly  paid  over  to  friends 
as  they  should  dictate,  and  the  places  kept  for  them  until 
their  return.  Many  patriotic  hearts  availed  themselves 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.  l^J 

of  this  opportunity,  and  left  the  counting-rooms  and  mer 
cantile  houses,  and  rushed  on  with  the  crowd  to  enrol 
their  names  among  that  mighty  host  to  fight  for  the  Con 
stitution  and  the  Union.  The  question  soon  arose, "  What 
would  become  of  the  families  of  volunteers  left  without 
means  to  provide  for  themselves  ?  "  This  question  was 
no  sooner  asked  than  it  was  answered  by  generous  dona 
tions  from  moneyed  men  and  patriotic  women,  some  con 
tributing  as  high  as  two  thousand  dollars  to  the  "  volun 
teer  fund,"  for  the  benefit  of  "  soldiers'  families." 

On  the  morning  of  the  16th,  the  bark  Manhattan,  Capt. 
Davis,  of  and  from  Savannah,  arrived  at  the  port  of  Bos 
ton,  and  hauled  in  at  Clapp's  Wharf,  No.  573  Commercial 
Street.  As  soon  as  Capt.  Davis  heard  of  the  condition 
of  affairs  at  the  South  he  hoisted  a  secession  flag,  bearing 
upon  it  fifteen  stars  and  a  rattlesnake,  at  his  main-mast 
head.  It  soon  attracted  attention  from  a  number  of 
people  in  the  vicinity,  and  presently  there  was  quite  a 
gathering  on  the  wharf.  The  crowd  and  the  excite 
ment  continued  to  increase,  and  several  men  on  the  wharf 
demanded  who  hoisted  the  flag.  The  captain,  who  was 
walking  up  and  down  the  deck,  replied,  —  "I  did,  and 
mean  it  shall  stay  there."  The  cries  and  movements  of 
the  crowd  became  every  moment  more  menacing,  and  the 
captain,  fearing  violence,  retreated  to  the  lower  deck. 
Finally,  the  crew  hauled  the  flag  down,  to  save  the  ship 
from  being  damaged,  and  passed  it  to  the  crowd  on  the 
wharf.  It  was  immediately  seized,  and  torn  into  a  hun 
dred  pieces. 

The  morning  of  the  sixteenth  of  April  was  cold,  dark 
and  rainy,  one  of  those  gloomy  mornings  not  much  cal 
culated  to  create  enthusiasm  among  the  volunteers.  The 
order  to  assemble  on  the  Common  was  countermanded, 
and  the  companies  which  first  arrived  proceeded  directly 
to  Faneuil  Hall.  Quite  a  crowd  assembled  on  the  Com 
mon  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  and  withstood  the 


140  THE  EEBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

storm  bravely  for  several  hours,  expecting  every  moment 
the  troops  would  arrive,  but  to  them  no  troops  came. 
The  depots  were  thronged,  and  when  the  trains  arrived 
with  the  different  companies  and  regiments,  the  greatest 
enthusiasm  was  manifested,  and  cheer  on  cheer  rent  the 
air. 

The  Marblehead  companies,  three  in  number,  were  the 
first  to  arrive  at  Faneuil  Hall.  They  were  received  with 
hearty  cheers  by  an  immense  crowd  assembled  in  the 
street.  When  the  order  for  troops  was  promulgated  in 
Marblehead  on  the  evening  of  the  fifteenth,  a  subscription 
was  at  once  started  by  the  moneyed  men  of  the  place  to 
provide  for  the  families  of  the  volunteers,  who  were  mostly 
mechanics.  In  less  than  half  an  hour,  one  thousand 
dollars  had  been  subscribed  in  sums  of  one  hundred  each, 
and  next  morning  the  amount  was  swelled  to  one  thou 
sand  nine  hundred. 

The  Marblehead  companies  were  soon  followed  by  the 
companies  belonging  to  the  Fourth  Regiment.  Faneuil 
Hall  was  filled  by  one  o'clock,  and  the  companies  which 
arrived  after  that  time  were  quartered  in  other  places. 
The  Third  Regiment,  Col.  Wardrop,  which  came  in  on  the 
Old  Colony  Railroad,  occupied  the  hall  over  the  depot, 
which  was  tendered  to  them  by  Mr.  Holmes,  the  president 
of  the  road.  The  New  Bedford  City  Guards,  Capt.  In- 
graham,  of  this  regiment,  took  dinner  at  the  United  States 
Hotel,  and  afterwards  proceeded  to  the  armory  of  the 
Second  Battalion,  which  was  tendered  for  their  use.  The 
Sixth  Regiment,  Col.  Jones,  came  in  on  the  Lowell  Rail 
road,  and  first  proceeded  to  Faneuil  Hall,  where  they  got 
dinner,  and  afterwards  to  the  armory  of  the  Second  Bat 
talion.  The  Eighth  Regiment,  Lieut.  Col.  Munroe,  was 
divided,  part  being  quartered  at  Fitchburg  Hall  and  part 
at  Faneuil  Hall. 

In  narrating  the  praiseworthy  promptness  to  respond 
to  the  calls  of  the  country  of  our  own  American  people, 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  141 

we  must   not   forget   our   Irish   citizens,  for   they  were 
neither  "  last  nor  least  "  in  this  movement. 

On  the  evening  of  the  sixteenth,  the  Irish  residents  of 
Boston  assembled  in  great  numbers  at  the  Jackson  Club 
Room,  Hanover  Street,  to  express  their  affection  for  their 
adopted  country,  their  firm  determination  to  support  the 
President  of  the  United  States  in  his  trying  position,  and 
their  abhorrence  of  the  rebellious  subjects  who  were  en 
gaged  at  the  South  in  fomenting  civil  war. 

B.  S.  Treanor,  Esq.,  called  the  meeting  to  order.  On 
motion  of  Mr.  James  Sullivan,  Captain  Thomas  Cass  was 
appointed  chairman  for  the  evening.  The  organization 
was  further  perfected  by  the  choice  of  the  following  gen 
tlemen  for  vice-presidents :  — 

Vice-Presidents  — Dr.  W.  M.  Walsh,  T.  H.  Smith,  B. 
S.  Treanor,  Owen  Lappen,  James  Healy,  Michael  Gorm- 
ley,  John  Maloney,  J.  H.  Fallon,  James  Sullivan,  Martin 
Lennon,  John  McGlinn,  Wm.  B.  Maloney,  Dr.  John 
Walsh,  Cornelius  Murphy,  W.  W.  Doherty,  Michael  Cum- 
miskey,  Jeremiah  Lyons,  John  Kenney,  Patrick  Mclnerny, 
Dennis  Hogan,  Andrew  D.  Mahoney,  James  Dowling. 

Secretaries  —  James  Donnelly,  Thomas  A.  Matthews, 
John  Glancy. 

The  chairman  then  proceeded  with  his  opening  remarks. 
He  thought  the  condition  of  the  country  was  one  fraught 
with  momentous  consequences  to  its  adopted  citizens. 
Our  republic  stands  the  last  of  all  the  great  republics, 
and  if  this  proves  a  failure,  the  experiment  may  never 
be  tried  again.  We  have  the  blessings  of  home,  liberty 
and  equality,  a  free  press,  and  religious  tolerance  to  all. 
Nothing  seems  to  be  wanting  to  the  happiness  of  the  peo 
ple,  and  their  chief  aim  should  be  to  preserve  the  govern 
ment  which  ensures  these  blessings.  The  success  of  the 
country  has  been  an  inspiration  to  the  poor  and  down 
trodden  of  all  nations,  not  excepting  unfortunate  Ireland. 
We  should  resist  every  project  and  idea  of  disunion  ;  we 


142  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

should  resist  all  attempts  to  withdraw  us  from  the  love 
of  country,  from  whatever  source  they  come.  The  young 
men  are  now  called  upon  to  remember  whose  sons  they 
are,  and  from  what  blood  they  are  descended.  They 
should  bear  in  mind  that  death  never  comes  too  soon,  if 
necessary  in  the  defence  of  one's  country :  — 

"  Whether  on  the  scaffold  high, 

Or  in  the  battle's  van, 
The  noblest  place  for  man  to  die 
Is  where  he  dies  for  man." 

B.  S.  Treanor,  Esq.,  from  the  committee  on  resolutions, 
next  addressed  the  meeting  in  a  speech  which  was  re 
ceived  with  great  enthusiasm.  He  expressed  the  hope 
that  the  adopted  citizens  might  have  an  opportunity  to 
stand  up  with  those  who  were  native  and  to  the  manor 
borne,  upon  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  in  the  defence  of 
the  Federal  capital  at  Washington.  His  allusions  to  the 
Irish  patriot  Montgomery,  and  the  soldier  of  foreign 
parentage  who  led  the  American,  forces  at  New  Orleans, 
were  received  with  general  applause.  Mr.  Treanor  at 
this  point  read  the  following  resolutions  :  — 

"  Whereas,  for  a  long  time  previously,  and  ever  since  the 
election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  office  of  the  United 
States,  by  a  constitutional  majority  of  the  people,  a  dan 
gerous  and  treasonable  conspiracy  has  existed  in  several 
of  the  Southern  States,  the  open  and  avowed  object  of 
which  is  the  overthrow  of  the  government  and  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  Constitution  and  the  Union ;  and, 

"  Whereas,  this  conspiracy  was  well  known  to  members 
of  the  late  cabinet  of  James  Buchanan,  who  had  sworn 
to  maintain  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  yet, 
regardless  alike  of  their  duty  as  citizens  and  officers  of 
the  government,  and  in  violation  of  their  most  solemn 
oaths,  they  not  only  neglected  to  suppress  this  treasonable 
conspiracy,  but  co-operated  with  the  Southern  traitors  in 


THE  REBELLION  IN   THE  UNITED   STATES.  143 

furtherance  of  their  diabolical  purposes,  by  plundering  for 
their  use  the  national  treasury,  and  sending  them  gov 
ernment  arms,  intended  originally  for  the  defence  of  the 
country,  to  be  used  for  its  overthrow  and  destruction ;  and, 

"  Whereas,  in  pursuance  of  this  design,  the  traitors  of 
the  South  have  seized  upon  and  usurped  the  dock-yards, 
arsenals,  magazines,  forts,  custom-houses,  public  funds, 
and  other  national  property  in  the  rebellious  States,  and 
are  now  using  them  against  the  lives  and  liberties  of  the 
people  to  whom  they  belong ;  and, 

"  Whereas,  every  peaceful  effort  made  by  President  Lin 
coln  to  induce  the  rebels  to  return  to  their  duty  and  their 
allegiance  has  met  only  contumely  and  insult  from  these 
misguided  men,  until  the  forbearance  of  the  government 
was  interpreted  as  evidence  of  its  imbecility  ;  and  at  length 
ten  thousand  armed  men  have  attacked  Fort  Sumter  in 
the  harbor  of  Charleston,  and  compelled  the  seventy  brave 
defenders  to  surrender  to  their  immense  and  superior 
numbers ;  and  that  in  pursuance  of  their  treasonable  de 
signs  the  rebels  now  threaten  to  attack  the  seat  of  gov 
ernment  and  plant  their  despotic  flag  upon  its  Capitol,  — 

"  Be  it  therefore  resolved  by  us,  the  adopted  citizens  of 
Boston,  of  Irish  birth  and  parentage,  in  this  the  most 
dangerous  and  threatening  crisis  through  which  our  be 
loved  adopted  country  has  yet  passed,  that  it  is  the  solemn 
and  sacred  duty  of  every  citizen  and  of  every  man  who 
participates  in  and  enjoys  the  inestimable  blessings  and 
privileges  of  our  free  government,  to  cast  aside  all  party 
distinctions  and  unite  as  one  man  in  support  of  the 
national  administration,  and  in  defence  of  our  common 
country,  its  flag  and  its  freedom. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  will  support  the  government,  by 
every  means  in  our  power,  in  its  efforts  to  enforce  the 
laws,  collect  the  revenue,  repossess  the  national  property, 
maintain  the  Constitution,  and  suppress  treason  and 
rebellion  wherever  it  appears. 


144  THE   EEBELLION  IN  THE    UNITED   STATES. 

"  Resolved,  that  we  call  upon  every  adopted  citizen  of 
Irish  birth  to  stand  true  to  the  country  which  has  become 
the  home  of  so  many  millions  of  our  race  and  of  the  op 
pressed  of  the  Old  World,  and  not  permit  the  liberties  for 
which  Washington  fought  and  Montgomery  died  to  be 
trampled  under  foot  by  the  slave  oligarchy  of  the  South." 
"  What  constitutional  rights,"  continued  Mr.  Treanor, 
"  of  the  Southern  States  have  been  in  the  slightest  degree 
infringed  upon  ?  Have  we  come  to  that  state  that  the 
ballot-box  shall  be  no  longer  the  exponent  of  the  people's 
will,  or  are  we  in  that  condition  that  the  election  of  a  new 
President  must  inevitably  inaugurate  a  bloody  civil  war  ? 
Secession  interests  have  been  cherished  and  nurtured  at 
the  South  ever  since  Andrew  Jackson  squelched  it  in  '33. 
The  very  rifled  cannon  that  helped  to  batter  down  the 
walls  of  Sumter  were  sent  to  South  Carolina  by  the 
traitors  in  the  public  service.  Whatever  soreness  may 
have  been  felt  by  the  adopted  citizens  at  some  of  the  past 
legislation  of  this  State,  they  will  be  found  ready,  in  the 
time  of  trial,  to  sacrifice  every  interest  upon  the  altar  of 
the  country's  cause,  and  as  true  to  the  national  flag  as 
those  who  rallied  round  it  in  the  Revolution  and  the  war 
of  1812. 

"  No  supporters  of  a  slave  oligarchy  would  be  encoun 
tered  among  the  Irish  race,  who  had  experienced  too 
keenly  the  discomforts  of  an  arrogant  government  at  home 
to  desire  a  continuance  of  the  same  in  the  New  World. 
The  flag  of  the  Confederate  States  shall  never  wave  over 
Faneuil  Hall,  till  every  adopted  citizen  of  Massachusetts 
bites  the  dust."  (Great  applause.) 

Dr.  Walsh  made  a  speech  to  the  same  effect,  and  was 
followed  by  Dennis  W.  O'Brien,  who  apologized  for  a 
short  speech  on  the  score  of  indisposition,  the  subject 
being  one  in  which  he  was  deeply  interested,  and  advised 
every  man  to  do  his  best  to  support  the  Union,  the  Con 
stitution  and  the  laws. 


THE  REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES.  145 

Mr.  T.  M.  Brown  said  the  words  they  had  heard  should 
make  music  in  the  heart  of  every  man  born  in  the  Emer 
ald  Isle.  The  place  of  every  Irishman  to-day  is  in  the 
front.  (A  voice  — "  An'  they  niver  was  found  in  the 
rear !  "  Three  rousing  cheers  were  given  for  the  author 
of  this  impromptu.) 

The  countrymen  of  Daniel  O'Connell,  of  Davis,  and 
others  of  the  innumerable  patriots  of  the  land,  are  bound, 
by  all  that  is  holy,  to  stand  by  the  glorious  flag  that  has 
ever  been  true  to  them.  The  spirit  which  fought  and 
won,  and  compelled  a  treaty  on  the  old  stone  of  Limerick, 
which  nerved  and  fired  the  blood  of  O'Connell,  —  ay, 
the  spirit  of  liberty  is  alive  to-day,  and  the  American  flag 
shall  never  trail  in  the  dust  while  Irishmen  live  to  de 
fend  it. 

Remarks  were  also  made  by  James  Sullivan,  Edward 
Ray  and  others,  and  the  resolutions  were  unanimously 
adopted.  The  meeting  adjourned  with  cheers  for  the 
Union  and  the  stars  and  stripes. 

The  banks  of  Boston  offered  to  the  State  government 
a  loan  of  ten  per  cent,  upon  their  capital,  which  would 
give  the  State  treasury  the  sum  of  nearly  four  millions  of 
dollars.  The  banks  of  Worcester  also  offered  the  State  a 
loan  of  three  hundred  thousand ;  the  Randolph  Bank, 
twenty-five  thousand  ;  Columbian  Bank,  fifty  thousand  ; 
Revere  Bank,  fifty  thousand ;  Mount  Wollaston  Bank, 
twenty-five  thousand  ;  and  many  other  banks  throughout 
the  State  of  proportionate  sums.  The  banks  in  all  the 
free  States  tendered  heavy  loans  to  the  State  governments, 
for  the  purpose  of  arming  and  equipping  the  troops. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  seventeenth,  the  streets  of 
Boston  were  filled  with  excited  crowds  discussing  the  war 
news,  and  awaiting  the  appearance  of  the  military  compa 
nies.  The  most  intense  enthusiasm  was  manifested  when 
the  Sixth  Regiment  marched  out  of  the  armory  of  the 
Second  Battalion,  at  Boylston  Hall,  and  their  route  to  the 

13 


146  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

State  House  was  lined  with  people.  The  ladies  were  out 
in  great  numbers,  and  white  handkerchiefs  fluttered  in 
the  breeze  from  every  point.  The  State  House  was  the 
centre  of  attraction,  and  a  large  police  force  was  neces 
sary  to  keep  back  the  crowd  in  front  and  rear.  The 
Sixth  Regiment  arrived  about  half  past  ten  o'clock  at  the 
State  House,  and  reported  for  duty.  The  Washington 
Guards,  Capt.  Sampson,  also  arrived  at  eleven  o'clock, 
with  sixty-eight  men,  and  were  attached  to  the  Sixth  Reg 
iment. 

Previous  to  the  departure  of  the  Sixth  Regiment  from 
Boylston  Hall,  Major  B.  F.  Watson,  of  Lawrence,  ad 
dressed  the  soldiers  as  follows  :  — 

"  Fellow-Soldiers :  I  have  been  selected,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  commissioned  officers  of  this  regiment,  to  bring  to 
your  notice  a  matter  which  I  am  sure  will  be  gratifying  to 
you  all.  You  know  of  a  custom  adopted  by  a  New  York 
regiment,  and  which  has  prevailed  elsewhere,  and  I  know 
you  will  be  pleased  to  adopt  it.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
commissioned  officers  the  subject  was  mooted,  and  it  was 
generally  agreed  that  this  regimental  organization  would 
not  be  full  unless  we  had  a  daughter,  at  this  time,  when 
we  all  have  such  tender  feelings.  It  was  then  unani 
mously  agreed,  that  out  of  respect  and  regard  for  that 
colonel  whom  we  all  esteem  so  highly,  his  own  daughter, 
and  his  only  daughter,  should  be  selected.  (Loud  cheers.) 
I  ask  you,  fellow-soldiers,  to  give  three  cheers  for  your 
daughter,  Lizzie  Clauson  Jones." 

The  men  gave  three  cheers,  and  the  major  led  the 
"daughter  of  the  regiment"  up  and  down  the  line  to 
introduce  her,  —  a  pretty  little  miss,  about  ten  years  of 
age. 

Orders  were  issued  on  the  night  of  the  16th  to  the 
Stoneham  Light  Infantry  to  march  at  once  to  this  city, 
and  report  for  duty  to  Col.  Jones,  of  the  Sixth  Regiment. 
They  arrived  about  twelve  o'clock,  under  command  of 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


147 


Capt.  J.  H.  Dyke,  with  seventy-five  men,  a  portion  of 
whom  were  without  guns.  The  Worcester  Light  Infantry, 
Capt.  Pratt,  which  had  also  been  ordered  to  report  to 
Col.  Jones,  arrived  at  one  o'clock,  with  seventy-nine  men, 
a  portion  of  them  being  without  uniforms.  All  of  the 
companies  under  Col.  Jones  changed  their  old  guns  for 
the  new  rifle  muskets,  which  were  sent  from  the  Cam 
bridge  Arsenal.  They  were  also  furnished  with  over 
coats,  knapsacks,  blankets,  blue  woollen  drawers,  and 
undershirts  and  woollen  socks.  This  occupied  consider 
able  time,  a  large  number  having  no  military  equipments 
at  all. 

A.  new  company,  raised  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Richardson,  of 
Cambridge,  which  was  to  have  joined  the  Fifth  Regiment 
as  Company  C,  was  ordered  out,  and  attached  to  Colonel 
Jones'  (6th)  regiment.  They  had  not  been  organized, 
but  they  promptly  answered  the  call,  and  a  little  past 
ten  o'clock  sixty  of  them  marched  to  the  State  House 
(Boston)  in  citizens'  dress,  without  arms,  and  bearing  the 
American  flag.  An  election  of  officers  was  held  forthwith. 
James  P.  Richardson  was  chosen  captain.  They  were 
furnished  with  equipments,  and  soon  ready  for  duty. 

At  three  and  a  half  o'clock  the  regiment,  which  had 
been  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  the  Washington  Guards 
of  Boston,  the  Worcester  Light  Infantry,  and  the  Stone- 
ham  Light  Infantry,  making  over  six  hundred  men  in  all, 
was  drawn  up  in  line  in  Beacon  Street,  fronting  the  State 
House.  Col.  Jones,  with  a  color-guard,  was  ordered 
upon  the  steps,  when  Governor  Andrew,  accompanied  by 
Brigadier-General  Butler,  Adjutant-General  Schouler,  the 
aids  of  the  Governor,  and  other  military  men,  marched 
out  to  meet  him.  Col.  Sargent,  senior  aid  to  the  Gover 
nor,  bore  the  regimental  flag. 

The  Governor  said  that,  as  the  official  representative 
of  the  old  Commonwealth,  he  came  to  bid  farewell  to  this 
glorious  command,  previous  to  their  departure  on  their 


148  THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

patriotic  mission.  They  had  been  summoned,  at  their 
country's  call,  from  the  quiet  associations  of  business 
and  home,  to  a  solemn  and  ultimately  victorious  war. 
They  were  called  to  fight  in  behalf  of  the  country,  its 
dignity  and  purity  ;  in  behalf  of  the  flag  which  had  swept 
the  seas  in  triumph,  conveying  right  and  honor  all  over 
the  world.  They  were  to  repair  to  Washington,  which 
had  been  built  under  the  direction  of  "  the  Father  of  his 
country."  They  had  been  summoned  suddenly ;  the 
State  government  had  done  all  in  its  power  to  provide  for 
the  necessities  of  the  occasion,  and  they  would  bear  with 
them  its  benefactions  and  prayers.  Those  behind  cher 
ished  them  in  their  heart  of  hearts,  following  them  with 
their  best  wishes,  and  feeling  confident  that  they  would 
not  return  until  they  had  done  the  utmost  that  patriotic 
men  could  do.  Here  he  took  the  flag,  and,  after  waving 
it  to  and  fro,  amid  the  applause  of  the  assembled  multi 
tude,  handed  it  to  Col.  Jones. 

Col.  Jones  took  the  flag,  and,  saying  that  he  considered 
it  the  emblem  of  everything  valuable  upon  earth,  and  that 
it  would  be  so  prized  by  his  command,  declared  that,  so 
help  him  God,  he  would  never  disgrace  it. 

The  regiment  then  marched  to  the  armory  of  the  Second 
Battalion,  and  the  men  were  allowed  an  hour  and  a  half 
for  rest  and  supper.  At  half-past  six  o'clock  they  proceeded 
to  the  "Worcester  depot,  and  took  the  cars  for  New  York 
about  eight  o'clock.  An  immense  crowd  surrounded  the 
depot,  and  cheered  the  soldiers  with  great  enthusiasm. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  officers  of  this  regiment :  — 
Colonel,  Edward  F.  Jones,  of  Lowell ;  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Walter  Shattuck,  of  Groton  ;  Major,  Benjamin  F.  Watson, 
of  Lawrence  ;  Adjutant,  Alpha  B.  Farr,  of  Lowell ;  Quar 
termaster,  James  Monroe,  of  Cambridge  ;  Paymaster,  Ru- 
fus  L.  Plaisted,  of  Lowell ;  Surgeon,  Norman  Smith,  of 
Groton ;  Chaplain,  Charles  Babbidge,  of  Pepperell. 

The   Davis  Guards,  of  Acton,  attached  to  the  Sixth 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  149 

Regiment,  was  made  up  of  descendants  of  the  minute- 
men  who,  on  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth  of  April, 
1775,  were  the  first  to  march  to  Concord  Bridge  to  oppose 
the  British  troops. 

A  rather  amusing  anecdote  is  told  of  the  "  pop-corn 
man."  When  the  Massachusetts  Sixth  Regiment  was  drawn 
up  in  line  in  front  of  the  State  House  (Boston),  he  came 
round  to  minister  to  the  wants  of  the  regiment  by  selling 
them  his  pop-corn.  He  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  he 
was  suddenly  overcome  by  an  irresistible  feeling  of  pat 
riotism,  threw  away  his  basket,  went  and  enlisted,  donned 
the  uniform,  bid  his  mother  a  hasty  adieu,  and  left  that 
night  with  the  Sixth  Regiment  for  the  national  capital. 

The  Third  Regiment,  Colonel  D.  W.  Wardrop,  which 
was  quartered  over  the  Old  Colony  depot,  was  ordered  to 
hold  itself  in  readiness  to  go  by  water  to  Fort  Monroe, 
Ya.  A  detachment  of  twenty  men,  from  Plymouth, 
arrived,  in  addition  to  those  which  came  on  the  16th. 
The  other  companies  in  the  regiment  were  enlarged  by 
new  arrivals  and  recruits,  and  the  total  number  was 
raised  to  about  two  hundred  men.  They  received  their 
supplies  at  the  State  House,  in  the  afternoon,  and  then 
proceeded  to  Faneuil  Hall,  where  supper  was  prepared. 
At  seven  o'clock  they  proceeded  to  Central  Wharf,  and 
went  on  board  the  steamer  S.  R.  Spaulding,  Captain  Sol 
omon  Howes,  of  the  Baltimore  line,  which  had  been 
chartered  to  convey  the  regiment  to  Fort  Monroe.  A 
crowd  was  gathered  in  the  vicinity,  and  received  the  dif 
ferent  companies  with  loud  cheers.  The  steamer  left 
shortly  after  eight  o'clock.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
officers  of  the  regiment :  —  Colonel,  David  W.  Wardrop, 
of  New  Bedford ;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Charles  Raymond, 
of  Plymouth ;  Major,  John  H.  Jennings,  of  New  Bedford  ; 
Adjutant,  Richard  A.  Pierce,  of  New  Bedford  ;  Paymaster, 
Sandford  Almy,  of  New  Bedford ;  Surgeon,  Alexander  S. 
Holmes,  of  New  Bedford  ;  Surgeon's  Mate,  Johnson  Clark, 


150  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


of  New  Bedford  ;  Chaplain,  Thomas  E.  St.  John,  of  New 
Bedford. 

The  Fourth  Regiment,  Colonel  Packard,  received  an 
order  to  proceed  to  Washington  via  Fall  River  route,  at 
half-past  six  o'clock.  It  was  quartered  at  Faneuil  Hall, 
where  it  remained  until  afternoon. 

An  order  was  issued  for  the  discharge  of  Capt.  Sprague, 
of  the  Hingliam  company,  in  consequence  of  his  failure 
to  respond  to  the  requisition  of  the  Governor,  and  Luther 
Stevenson  was  elected  captain.  The  company  was  then 
ordered  out,  and  in  the  afternoon  Capt.  Stevenson  report 
ed  to  Col.  Packard  with  forty  men.  The  captain  of  Com 
pany  H,  Quincy,  refused  to  order  out  his  men,  and  they 
chose  Thaddeus  Newcomb  captain.  The  company  report 
ed  with  twenty  men. 

The  regiment  proceeded  to  the  State  House  in  the  af 
ternoon,  and,  after  receiving  supplies,  they  marched  to  the 
Old  Colony  depot  at  seven  o'clock,  and  took  the  cars  for 
Fall  River  at  eight  o'clock.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
officers  of  the  regiment :  —  Colonel,  Abiier  B.  Packard,  of 
Quincy ;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Hawkes  Fearing,  Jr.,  of 
Hingham ;  Major,  Hiram  C.  Alden,  of  Randolph ;  Adju 
tant,  Horace  0.  Whittemore,  of  Braintree  ;  Quartermaster, 
Othniel  Gilmore,  of  Raynham ;  Paymaster,  William  S. 
Glover,  of  Quincy ;  Surgeon,  Henry  M.  Saville,  of  Quincy  ; 
Surgeon's  Mate,  William  D.  Atkinson,  Jr.,  of  Boston. 

Detachments  from  the  New  England  Guards  and  the 
Second  Battalion  performed  escort  duty  for  the  regiments 
which  left  on  the  17th. 

The  Boston  and  Maine  Railroad  Corporation  notified 
Governor  Andrew,  Governor  Washburn,  of  Maine,  and 
Governor  Goodwin,  of  New  Hampshire,  that  the  railroad 
was  open  for  the  transportation  of  troops  of  war  free  of 
expense. 

The  citizens  of  Concord,  Mass.,  subscribed  fifteen  hun 
dred  and  seventy-five  dollars,  on  the  evening  of  the  seven- 


THE  REBELLION   IN  THE  UNITED   STATES.  151 

teenth,  to  take  care  of  the  families  of  those  who  had  been 
called  into  the  service  of  their  country. 

Only  two  days  had  elapsed  since  the  President's  proc 
lamation  calling  for  volunteers  was  issued,  and  we  find 
three  regiments  from  the  "  Old  Bay  State,"  raised,  armed 
and  equipped,  and  flying  over  the  road,  and  being  borne 
swiftly  on  "  wind  and  wave,"  to  the  defence  of  the  nation 
al  capital,  and  another  soon  to  follow. 

Jefferson  Davis  issued  a  proclamation  inviting  applica 
tions  for  letters  of  marque  and  reprisal. 

Virginia  secession  ordinance  passed  in  secret  session, 
60  to  53.  Governor  Letcher  issued  a  proclamation  in 
which  he  recognized  the  independence  of  the  Confederate 
States. 

A  large  and  excited  secession  meeting  was  held  in 
Baltimore,  Md. 

Great  Union  speech  by  Gen.  Cass,  at  Detroit,  Michigan. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


— Though  factions  rage, 

That  glorious  standard  still  shall  wave, 

Hope  of  the  world,  through  age  on  age, 
And  only  sink  in  Freedom's  grave. 


LUNT. 


APRIL  18th.  The  Eighth  Regiment  Massachusetts  Vol 
unteers,  Colonel  Munroe,  left  Boston  for  Washington, 
this  being  the  last  of  the  four  regiments  ordered.  Having 
seen  the  three  depart,  great  anxiety  was  manifested  by 
these  patriotic  men,  who  were  impatiently  waiting  for  the 
order  to  start,  which  was  finally  given  just  after  dinner. 
The  line  was  formed  in  Merchants'  Row  shortly  before 
two  o'clock,  in  the  presence  of  an  immense  crowd.  The 
regiment,  as  it  marched  up  State  Street,  was  greeted  with 
the  greatest  enthusiasm  by  the  thousands  who  were  gath 
ered  there.  It  proceeded  immediately  to  the  State  House, 
where  the  ceremony  of  presenting  the  flag  took  place. 

The  steps,  streets,  neighboring  houses,  and  in  fact  every 
spot  where  a  view  of  the  scene  could  be  had,  was  crowded. 
At  about  half-past  three  o'clock,  the  regiment  being  drawn 
up  in  line  in  Beacon  Street,  the  Governor  and  aids,  accom 
panied  by  Gen.  Butler,  Gen.  Schouler  and  others,  went 
down  the  steps  amid  great  cheering  and  waving  of  hand 
kerchiefs. 

The  flag  was  then  presented  to  Colonel  Munroe  by  the 
Governor,  and  he  spoke  as  follows  :  — 

"  Mr.  Commander  and  Soldiers :  —  Yesterday  you  were 
citizens ;  to-day  you  are  soldiers.  True  to  the  fortunes 
of  your  flag,  true  to  the  inspirations  of  your  own  hearts, 
true  to  the  undying  examples  of  our  fathers,  you  have 

152 


THE  REBELLION  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES.      153 

hurried  up  from  the  towns  of  Essex,  all  along  from  Bos 
ton  through  Marblehcad  to  Cape  Ann.  Fame  to  all  the 
men  of  Massachusetts,  to  the  brave  soldiers  of  a  heroic 
army !  You  have  come  to  be  cradled  anew  one  night  in 
Faneuil  Hall,  and  from  breathing  once  more  the  inspira 
tions  of  American  liberty,  you  have  hurried  forth  this 
afternoon  to  follow  wherever  glory  leads  under  the  folds 
of  the  American  banner!  (Great  applause.)  From  the 
bottom  of  my  heart  of  hearts,  standing  here  as  the  official 
representative  of  Massachusetts,  I  pay  to  you,  soldiers, 
citizens,  heroes,  the  homage  of  my  most  profound  grati 
tude.  And  the  heart  of  all  Massachusetts  beats  to-day  in 
sympathy  with  every  word  I  utter.  There  is  but  one 
sentiment  throughout  this  beautiful  domain  of  liberty. 
From  the  shores  up  to  the  tall  hills  of  Berkshire,  from 
the  beating  waves  to  the  granite  peaks,  it  speaks  in  unison 
with  our  common  land  and  our  common  liberty  in  death 
less  echoes.  (Applause.) 

Soldiers,  go  forth  bearing  that  flag ;  — 

"  Forever  float  that  standard  sheet,  — 

Where  breathes  the  foe  but  falls  before  us  ? 
With  Freedom's  soil  beneath  our  feet, 
And  Freedom's  banner  streaming  o'er  us." 

(Great  applause.) 

We  stay  to  defend  the  hearth-stones  of  Massachusetts. 
We  remain  to  guard  the  homes  of  the  wives  and  the 
children  of  your  love ;  and  we  swear,  whatever  fortune 
may  befall  you  on  the  field,  we  will  be  true  to  them. 
(Applause.)  I  need  not  say  to  you,  Mr.  Commander, 
that  we  place  entire  confidence  in  your  fidelity,  courage 
and  ability,  in  this  noble  band  of  men  mustered  under 
your  command ;  I  need  not  say  that  in  the  gallant  son  of 
Massachusetts  who  stands  by  my  side  (Gen.  Butler)  we 
have  all  the  confidence  which  Massachusetts  men  place  in 
each  other.  I  speak  to  you  not  as  citizens  and  soldiers 
of  Massachusetts,  but  as  citizens  and  soldiers  of  the  Amer- 


154  THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

ican  Confederate  Union.  While  we  live  that  Union 
shall  last !  (Tumultuous  applause.)  And  until  all  of 
us  and  our  posterity  have  tasted  death,  the  government, 
the  Union  of  the  American  people,  the  heritage  of  Wash 
ington,  shall  be  immortal !  (Applause.)  Mr.  Comman 
der,  go  forth  with  the  blessing  of  your  country  and  the 
confidence  of  your  fellow-citizens.  Under  the  blessing  of 
God,  iii  a  good  and  holy  cause,  with  stout  hearts  and 
stalwart  arms,  go  forth  to  victory !  On  your  shields  be 
returned,  or  bring  them  with  you.  You  are  the  advance 
guard  of  Massachusetts  soldiers.  As  such  I  bid  you  God 
speed,  and  fare  you  well." 

Great  applause  and  cheering  followed  the  Governor's 
speech,  and  three  cheers  were  given  for  General  Butler. 

General  Butler,  standing  by  the  side  of  the  Governor, 
replied :  — 

"  Mr.  Commander  and  Fellow-soldiers  :  —  I  desire  to  say 
one  word  to  you.  We  are  going  to-night  upon  that  duty 
which  the  people  of  this  Commonwealth  hold  as  sacred  as 
their  dearest  wishes.  We  go  to  protect  the  constitutional 
liberty  of  the  government,  the  strength  of  the  Union, 
which  under  God  we  will  maintain.  (Applause.)  I  have 
the  great  pleasure  of  marching  with  you,  and  with  you 
we  will  give  a  return  to  our  friends,  —  to  his  Excellency 
who  has  given  us  cheering  words  of  encouragement,  to 
the  good  people  of  the  Commonwealth  who  are  looking 
for  our  deeds  ;  —  and  indeed,  sir,  we  will  make  it  true,  we 
will  either  bring  back  our  shields  or  be  brought  back 
upon  them.  (Applause.)  Sons  of  a  Puritan  ancestry, 
believing  in  the  providence  of  Almighty  God,  as  he  was 
with  our  fathers,  so  may  he  be  with  us  in  this  strife  for 
the  right,  for  the  good  of  all,  for  that  great  country  of 
human  freedom,  which  if  it  sinks  in  blood  the  liberty  of 
the  human  race  goes  out  forever.  We  go  to  maintain 
that  liberty,  and  when  we  prove  recreant  to  that  trust, 
may  the  God  of  battles  prove  our  enemy  in  the  hour  of 


THE   KEBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  155 

our  utmost  need !  Soldiers,  we  march  to-night ;  and  I 
say  for  you  all,  to  the  good  people  of  Massachusetts,  fare 
you  well.  We  only  ask  their  prayers,  we  have  everything 
else ;  and  we  go  forth  to  say  to  those  who  would  break 
down  this  confederacy,  that  in  this  State  there  is  but  one 
sentiment,  —  "  The  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  in 
separable  ! "  (Applause.) 

The  enthusiasm  and  excitement  were  uncontrolled,  and 
cheers  without  number  were  given  for  the  regiment,  for 
Gen.  Butler,  and  for  the  Governor.  The  line  of  march 
was  then  taken  up  for  Faneuil  Hall,  and  along  the  whole 
route  the  enthusiasm  was  continuous. 

The  regiment  took  final  leave  of  Faneuil  Hall  shortly 
before  half-past  five  o'clock,  and,  preceded  by  the  Brigade 
Band,  proceeded  through  Merchants'  Row,  State,  Washing 
ton  and  Oak  Streets,  to  the  freight  depot,  No.  2,  of  the 
Worcester  Railroad,  on  Albany  Street. 

On  arriving  at  the  depot  a  detachment  of  policemen 
and  Lancers  kept  the  crowd  out,  and  the  regiment  prompt 
ly  entered  the  depot  and  went  on  board  the  train.  The 
crowd  was  immense,  and  exceeded  in  numbers  that  of 
the  day  before  which  gathered  to  bid  farewell  to  Colonel 
Jones'  regiment,  extending  for  some  distance  along  on 
each  side  of  the  track.  As  the  long  train  started,  at  six 
o'clock,  the  Brigade  Band  struck  up  "  Hail  Columbia," 
and  the  cheering  was  renewed.  The  troops  thrust  their 
arms  out  the  windows,  and  many  in  the  crowd  shook 
hands  with  all  whom  they  could  reach. 

The  scene  was  more  inspiring  and  exciting  than  any 
other  we  had  witnessed  in  connection  with  the  departure 
of  troops.  It  was  also  the  largest  of  the  regiments  that 
had  left,  numbering  full  eight  hundred  men. 

Brigadier  General  Butler  and  staff  accompanied  the 
regiment.  The  following  are  the  regimental  officers  :  — 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  Timothy  Munroe,  Lynn  ;  Major,  Israel 
W.  Wallis,  Beverly ;  Adjutant,  Edward  W.  Hinks,  Lynn ; 


156  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE    UNITED    STATES. 

Quartermaster,  Samuel  T.  Payson,  Newburyport;  Surgeon, 
David  F.  Drew,  Lynn ;  Surgeon's  Mate,  Warren  Tapley, 
Lynn. 

The  Sixth  and  Fourth  Massachusetts  Regiments  arrived 
in  New  York  about  sunrise  on  the  morning  of  the  18th. 
One  regiment  breakfasted  at  the  Astor  House  and  at  the 
St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  and  the  other  at  the  Metropolitan. 
At  eleven  o'clock,  after  refreshments,  they  marched  down 
Broadway.  They  were  greeted  by  cheers  and  other 
demonstrations  of  applause  by  thousands.  Flags  floated 
from  every  house  and  store.  All  the  teams,  horses  and 
posts  had  the  American  flag  attached,  and  nearly  every 
person  carried  one  in  his  hand.  The  flag  presented  by 
Governor  Andrew  was  cheered  the  whole  length  of  the 
route,  and  "  God  bless  you ! "  was  frequently  uttered. 
Gen.  James  Appleton,  of  Ipswich,  seventy-six  years  old, 
remarked  with  great  emotion,  "  Those  boys  won't  run.  I 
commanded  a  regiment  of  them  in  the  last  war."  Cheers 
for  the  Old  Bay  State  were  demanded  and  enthusiastically 
given  at  every  step.  They  marched  to  the  Jersey  ferry, 
where  there  was  a  perfect  ovation.  The  Sixth  embarked  at 
twelve  o'clock,  and  took  the  train  direct  for  Washington. 
They  arrived  at  Jersey  City  at  twenty  minutes  past 
twelve  o'clock,  and  were  received  with  the  wildest  demon 
strations  of  enthusiasm.  As  the  train  left  the  depot, 
cheer  on  cheer  rent  the  air,  and  many  were  the  promises 
made  to  them  that  "  Three  thousand  Jersey  Blues  would 
be  with  the  sons  of  the  Old  Bay  State  in  one  week's 
time,  to  show  their  loyalty  to  the  Constitution  and  the 
Union." 

From  the  public  buildings  and  private  dwellings  floated 
the  stars  and  stripes.  Three  times  three  cheers  were 
given  in  honor  of  the  Old  Bay  State,  that  she  was  the 
first  in  the  field. 

They  arrived  at  Philadelphia  in  the  early  part  of  the 
evening,  took  supper  at  the  Continental  Hotel,  and  were 


THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  157 

quartered  for  the  night  mainly  at  the  Girard  House.  The 
cheering  was  incessant  along  the  route. 

Harper's  Ferry  arsenal  was  destroyed  by  Lieut.  Jones, 
to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  secessionists. 
Lieut.  Jones  and  his  command  of  forty-three  men  made 
their  escape.  He  says,  as  the  federal  troops  at  Harper's 
Ferry  rushed  across  the  Potomac  bridge,  the  people 
rushed  into  the  arsenal,  and  he  believes  a  large  number 
perished,  as  repeated  explosions  occurred.  He  saw  the 
light  of  the  burning  buildings  many  miles  in  his  retreat. 
The  lieutenant,  having  been  advised  that  a  force  of 
twenty-five  hundred  troops  were  ordered  by  the  Governor 
to  take  possession  of  Harper's  Ferry,  and  finding  his 
position  untenable,  under  the  direction  of  the  War  De 
partment  he  destroyed  all  the  munitions  of  war,  the 
armory,  arsenal  and  buildings.  He  withdrew  his  com 
mand  under  the  cover  of  night,  and  almost  in  the  pres 
ence  of  twenty-five  hundred  troops.  He  lost  three  men, 
taken  by  the  rebels.  Fifteen  thousand  stand  of  arms  were 
destroyed.  His  command  made  a  forced  march  of  thirty 
miles,  from  Harper's  Ferry  to  Hagerstown,  Md.  They 
were  enthusiastically  received. 

Governor  Hicks,  of  Maryland,  issued  a  proclamation,  as 
suring  the  people  that  no  troops  would  be  sent  from  that 
State,  unless  it  was  for  the  defence  of  the  national  capital. 

April  19th.  The  Massachusetts  Sixth  Regiment  was 
assailed  by  a  mob  in  its  passage  through  Baltimore  en 
route  for  Washington.  Two  Massachusetts  soldiers  killed, 
and  several  wounded,  —  the  first  blood  shed  in  the  "  Re 
bellion  of  1861."  The  nineteenth  of  April,  the  anniver 
sary  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  and  Concord, — .that  ever- 
memorable  day  in  our  nation's  history.  The  first  Amer 
ican  Revolution  was  inaugurated  by  Massachusetts  blood 
on  the  nineteenth  of  April,  1775,  and  the  second  Amer 
ican  revolution  was  inaugurated  by  Massachusetts  blood 
on  the  nineteenth  of  April,  1861. 

14 


158  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

Eighty-six  years  ago  couriers  were  sent  through  the 
towns  and  villages  of  Middlesex  County  to  rouse  the  peo 
ple  in  resistance  to  British  tyranny.  On  this  nineteenth 
of  April,  1861,  also,  couriers  were  sent  through  the  same 
district  to  call  out  the  Fifth  and  Seventh  Regiments,  and 
were  received  with  the  ringing  of  bells,  the  firing  of  can 
non,  and  the  assembling  of  soldiers  as  brave,  true  and 
prompt,  as  those  of  the  olden  time. 

On  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth,  at  the  President 
Street  depot  of  the  Philadelphia  Railroad,  in  Baltimore, 
an  immense  crowd  assembled,  in  anticipation  of  the  ar 
rival  of  a  large  number  of  troops  from  New  York  and 
Massachusetts.  Shortly  after  eleven  o'clock  the  train 
from  Philadelphia,  comprising  twenty-nine  cars,  arrived 
at  the  depot.  Without  disembarking  the  soldiers  from 
the  train,  the  several  cars  had  horses  attached,  and  about 
nine  were  drawn  along  Pratt  Street  to  the  Camden  sta 
tion,  the  first  six  without  any  marked  objection.  For 
some  reason  the  horses  attached  to  the  seventh  car  be 
came  restive,  and  were  taken  from  the  car  at  the  Pratt 
Street  bridge,  and  the  car  moved  without  their  aid  to 
within  a  short  distance  of  Gay  Street,  between  Gay  and 
Frederick  Street.  A  number  of  laborers  were  engaged 
in  repairing  the  bed  of  the  street,  and  just  at  the  mo 
ment  the  car  reached  Gay  Street  they  were  engaged  in 
removing  the  cobble  stones  from  the  principal  portion 
of  the  street.  Some  thirty  or  forty  men  assembled  at 
this  point,  having  followed  the  car  from  the  depot,  and, 
with  cheers  for  Davis  and  the  confederacy,  hurled  bitter 
taunts  at  the  Northern  Black  Republicans,  as  they  termed 
them. 

This  continued  for  several  minutes.  When  the  horses 
were  again  attached  and  the  car  moved  off,  it  was  pro 
posed  to  stone  it.  Before  the  car  had  gone  twenty  yards 
almost  every  window  was  broken,  and  a  portion  of  the 
crowd  followed,  hurling  paving-stones. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  159 

The  eighth  car  was  treated  in  the  same  manner,  but 
the  ninth  car,  apparently  being  empty,  or  at  least  no 
person  being  visible,  escaped  only  with  one  stone.  The 
crowd  exulted  in  their  work,  exclaiming  that  Black 
Republicans  should  not  pass  through  Maryland.  A 
lapse  of  five  minutes  succeeded,  a  number  of  respectable 
persons  meanwhile  urging  the  crowd  to  tear  up  the  track. 
After  the  first  train  passed,  one  was  observed  on  the  Pratt 
Street  bridge,  when  the  anchors  were  dragged  on  the 
track  at  the  corner  of  Gay  Street,  and  part  of  the  track 
taken  up.  Observing  this,  the  cars  were  turned  back  to 
President  Street  depot,  and  the  troops  disembarked  and 
prepared  to  march  through  the  streets.  Mayor  Brown 
with  a  number  of  police  appeared  at  their  head  and  led 
the  way.  They  came  away  at  a  brisk  pace,  and  when 
they  reached  Centre  Market  Square,  an  immense  con 
course  of  people  closed  in  behind  them,  and  commenced 
stoning  them.  When  they  reached  Gay  Street,  where  the 
track  had  been  taken  up,  a  large  crowd  of  men,  armed 
with  paving-stones,  showered  them  on  their  hea*ds  with 
such  force  that  several  of  them  were  knocked  down  in 
the  ranks.  After  lying  a  few  minutes  they  crowded 
into  the  stores  on  Pratt  Street.  At  the  corner  of  South 
and  Pratt  Streets,  a  man  fired  a  pistol  into  the  ranks  of 
the  militia,  when  those  in  the  rear  ranks  immediately 
wheeled  and  fired  upon  their  assailants,  and  several  were 
wounded.  The  guns  of  the  soldiers  that  had  fallen 
wounded  were  seized  and  fired  upon  the  ranks  with  fatal 
effect.  In  two  or  three  instances,  after  reaching  Culvert 
Street,  the  troops  succeeded  in  checking  their  pursuers 
by  rapid  fire,  which  brought  down  two  or  three,  and 
were  not  much  molested  until  they  reached  Howard 
Street,  where  another  large  crowd  was  assembled.  Some 
stones  were  thrown  at  them,  but  their  guns  were  not 
loaded,  and  they  passed  on,  through  a  dense  crowd,  down 
Howard  Street  towards  the  depot. 


180  THE   REBELLION   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

The  scene  on  Pratt  Street  was  of  a  most  startling 
character ;  the  wounded  soldiers,  three  in  number,  were 
taken  up  carefully,  and  carried  to  places  of  safety  by 
citizens.  Along  the  street  at  the  Camden  station,  where 
trains  leave  for  Washington,  there  was  assembled  a  large 
detachment  of  police  under  direction  of  Marshal  Kane. 
It  soon  appeared  that  orders  were  given  to  clear  the 
tracks  near  the  main  depot  building.  This  was  done,  and 
soon  after  a  large  passenger  car  of  the  Philadelphia  Rail 
road  came  up  at  a  rapid  rate,  filled  with  soldiers.  This 
car  was  soon  followed  by  about  sixteen  more,  all  occu 
pied  by  troops.  Upon  inquiry  it  was  ascertained  they 
consisted  of  the  Sixth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  In 
fantry,  in  all  eleven  companies,  with  an  aggregate  of 
eight  hundred  and  sixty  men. 

As  soon  as  the  train  arrived,  some  of  the  troops  were 
compelled  to  change  cars,  when  they  were  hooted  at  by 
the  crowd,  which  made  no  overt  act.  Several  young  men 
appeared  at  one  of  the  cars  and  displayed  revolvers, 
whereupon  the  captain  of  one  of  the  companies  drew  his 
sword  and  declared  he  would  protect  his  men.  Many  ex 
pected  the  train  would  start  immediately,  but  it  did  not 
move  until  half-past  twelve,  a  delay  being  occasioned  by 
the  fact  that  President  Garrett  had  received  information 
that  a  large  crowd  of  excited  men  had  determined  to  tear 
up  the  track  and  blow  up  the  bridges,  and  thereby  pre 
vent  the  passage  of  the  trains. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  the  train  left,  a  discharge  of 
firearms  attracted  the  attention  of  the  crowd  to  the 
corner  of  Pratt  and  Howard  Streets,  where  a  body  of 
infantry  from  one  of  the  Northern  States,  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  strong,  was  seen  rapidly  approaching 
the  depot,  and  no  doubt  anxious  to  reach  the  cars.  The 
excitement  was  beyond  description,  and  a  man  displaying 
a  flag  of  the  Confederate  States  seemed  to  be  the  rallying 
point  for  the  people.  Some  assaulted  the  infantry  with 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  161 

stones,  when  a  number  of  the  latter  discharged  their 
muskets.  At  least  twenty  shots  were  fired,  but  as  far 
as  learned  110  person  was  injured.  Whilst  they  were 
entering  the  cars,  a  crowd  of  young  men  gave  them 
several  volleys  of  bricks  and  stones,  some  of  which  de 
molished  a  car  window,  whereupon  three  or  four  muskets 
were  pointed  through  the  car  windows  and  fired,  but  no 
one  was  injured.  The  train  with  the  second  detachment 
left  at  a  quarter  past  one,  being  stoned  as  they  left. 

The  city  was  in  tremendous  excitement.  Martial  law 
was  proclaimed,  and  the  military  rushed  to  their  armories. 
Parties  were  roaming  the  streets  armed  with  guns  and 
pistols.  Stores  closed  and  business  suspended.  Every 
body  in  a  state  of  dread.  A  party  of  the  mob  rushed 
into  the  telegraph  office  and  cut  the  wires,  but  they  were 
soon  repaired.  Squads  paraded  the  streets,  fully  armed, 
on  the  lookout  for  military  from  the  North.  A  town 
meeting  was  called  in  Monument  Square,  at  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  which  was  attended  by  an  immense 
crowd.  The  State  flag  was  hoisted.  Mayor  Brown  said 
he  was  opposed  to  the  call  of  the  President,  in  spirit  and 
object,  but  as  Maryland  was  still  in  the  Union,  he  had 
exerted  himself  to  his  utmost  ability  to  protect  the  pas 
sage  of  troops  through  the  city.  He,  however,  felt  that 
this  should  not  be,  and  had  telegraphed  to  the  President 
urging  that  no  more  troops  be  sent  through. 

Gov.  Hicks  was  sent  for,  and  said  he  was  opposed  to 
secession,  but  the  right  of  revolution  could  not  be  dis 
puted. 

Speeches  were  made  by  Messrs.  Teakle,  Wallis,  W.  P. 
Preston  and  others,  justifying  the  people  of  Baltimore, 
and  declaring  that  no  Northern  troops  should  invade 
their  soil  to  subjugate  and  make  war  on  their  brethren 
of  the  South. 

Late  in  the  evening,  General  Butler  telegraphed  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  the  intelligence  of  his  own  arrival,  with 

14* 


162 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES. 


the  command  of  Col.  Munroe,  at  Philadelphia  ;  confirming 
the  rumor  that  Col.  Jones  had  been  attacked  in  the  streets 
of  Baltimore,  that  two  Massachusetts  men  were  killed, 
and  several  wounded,  and  adds,  —  "  Troops  fought  man 
fully.  No  man  offered  to  run.  They  bore  the  attack 
with  the  utmost  patience,  until  prominent  citizens  of 
Baltimore  told  them  to  lire.  They  did  so.  Part  of  the 
mob  responded  with  fire,  the  rest  scattered.  All  have 
arrived  at  Washington  except  six  injured,  who  are  well 
cared  for  at  Baltimore." 

A  dispatch  from  Washington,  April  19,  says  :  — 
"  The  Massachusetts  troops  arrived  this  evening,  and 
are  quartered  in  the  Capitol.  Several  of  them  were 
wounded  in  Baltimore  and  sent  to  the  infirmary,  while 
others  who  were  less  injured  in  that  city  are  on  duty  with 
their  comrades." 

At  half-past  two  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  following  dispatch 
was  sent  by  His  Excellency  the  Governor  to  the  Mayor 
of  Baltimore :  — 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT,  COUNCIL  CHAMBER,  i 
BOSTON,  April  20,  1861.          ) 

"  To  His  Honor  the  Mayor:  —  I  pray  you  to  cause 
the  bodies  of  our  Massachusetts  soldiers  dead  in  Baltimore 
to  be  immediately  laid  out,  preserved  with  ice,  and  ten 
derly  sent  forward  by  express  to  me.  All  expenses  will 
be  paid  by  this  Commonwealth. 

"  JOHN  A.  ANDREW, 

"  Governor  of  Massachusetts." 

At  half-past  nine  o'clock,  A.  M.,  after  a  correspondence 
between  the  Governor  and  Messrs.  Gardner  Brewer  & 
Co.  of  this  city,  which  reflects  honor  on  the  intelligent 
benevolence  of  that  firm,  they  sent  the  following  dispatch 
to  their  correspondents  in  Baltimore  :  — 

"Messrs.  Mills,  Mayhew  Sf  Co.,  Baltimore: 

"  We  telegraph  to  you  at  the  request  and  in  behalf  of 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  163 


Governor  Andrew  of  this  State.  Will  you  co-operate 
with  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore  in  securing  respectful  treat 
ment  to  the  corpses  of  our  dead  soldiers,  and  their  being 
carefully  forwarded  packed  in  ice,  and  particularly  we 
wish  you  to  secure  the  very  best  medical  attendance  and 
careful  nursing  to  our  wounded.  We  will  be  responsible 
to  you  for  all  expenses.  Nurses  can  be  sent  from  here  if 
desired.  GARDNER  BREWER  &  Co." 

At  noon  the  following  answer  was  received  from  Messrs. 
Mills,  Mayhew  &  Co :  — 

"  We  have  your  telegram,  and  will  attend  carefully  to 
your  instructions.  Nothing  is  wanted  which  we  cannot 
furnish." 

At  two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  this  answer  was  received  by  the 
Governor  from  the  Mayor  :  — 

"Hon.  John  A.  Andrew,  Governor  of  Massachusetts  : 

«  gm  :  —  No  one  deplores  the  sad  events  of  yesterday  in 
this  city  more  deeply  than  myself,  but  they  were  inevi 
table.  Our  people  viewed  the  passage  of  armed  troops  to 
another  State  through  the  streets  as  an  invasion  of  our 
soil,  and  could  not  be  restrained.  The  authorities  exerted 
themselves  to  the  best  of  their  ability,  but  with  only  par 
tial  success.  Governor  Hicks  was  present,  and  concurs 
in  all  my  views  as  to  the  proceedings  now  necessary  for 
our  protection. 

"  When  are  these  scenes  to  be  ceased  ?  Are  we  to  have 
a  war  of  sections !  God  forbid  ! 

"  The  bodies  of  the  Massachusetts  soldiers  could  not  be 
sent  on  to  Boston  as  you  requested,  all  communication 
between  this  city  and  Philadelphia  by  railroad  and  with 
Boston  steamers  having  ceased;  but  they  have  been 
placed  in  cemented  coffins,  and  will  be  placed  with  proper 
funeral  ceremonies  in  the  mausoleum  of  Green  Mount 
Cemetery,  where  they  shall  be  retained  until  further  di- 


164  THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

rections  are  received  from  you.     The  wounded  are  tenderly 
cared  for.     I  appreciate  your  offer,  but  Baltimore  will 
claim  it  as  her  right  to  pay  all  expenses  incurred. 
"  Very  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 
"  GEO.  WM.  BROWN, 

"  Mayor  of  Baltimore." 

To  this  the  following  reply  was  returned  by  the 
Governor :  — 

"  To  His  Honor  George  Wm.  Brown,  Mayor  of  Baltimore : 
"  DEAR  SIR  :  —  I  appreciate  your  kind  attention  to  our 
wounded   and  our  dead,  and  trust  that  at  the  earliest 
moment  the  remains  of  our  fallen  will  return  to  us. 

"  I  am  overwhelmed  with  surprise  that  a  peaceful  march 
of  American  citizens  over  the  highway  to  the  defence  of 
our  common  Capitol  should  be  deemed  aggressive  by 
Baltimoreans.  Through  New  York  the  march  was  trium 
phal. 

"  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Governor  of  Massachusetts." 

Of  the  citizens  of  Baltimore,  there  were  seven  killed 
and  many  wounded.  Mr.  R.  W.  Davis  was  shot  dead 
near  the  Camden  station ;  the  others  killed  were  John  Mc- 
Ghan,  Sebastian  Gies,  Patrick  Clark,  B.  Thomas  Miles, 
Wm.  C.  Maloney,  W.  Reed.  Wounded,  Patrick  Griffin, 
fatally,  others  unknown. 

The  Massachusetts  soldiers  killed  in  Baltimore  were 
A.  0.  Whitney  and  Luther  C.  Ladd,  of  Lowell. 

Wounded  and  left  in  Baltimore  —  Sergeant  Ames  of  the 
Lowell  City  Guards,  slightly ;  private  E.  Coburn,  of  the 
same  place,  shot  in  the  head,  not  fatal ;  private  Michael 
Green  of  Lawrence,  slightly ;  S.  H.  Needham,  skull  frac 
tured  (since  died)  ;  another,  name  unknown,  at  the 
infirmary,  badly  wounded ;  H.  W.  Danforth  and  Edward 
Cooper  were  shot  in  the  thigh  ;  also  Capt.  J.  H.  Dike,  of 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  165 

Company  C.,  Stoneham  Light  Infantry,  received  a  ball 
wound  in  the  head,  and  was  left  at  Baltimore. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  wounded  who  pro 
ceeded  on  to  Washington :  — 

Company  C,  Stoneham  Light  Infantry.    Henry  Dyke, 
ball  wound  in  the  leg. 

W.  H.  Young,  hit  by  a  brickbat  on  the  head. 

Stephen  Flanders,  bad  wound  on  the  head  by  a  brick 
bat. 

H.  Perry,  wounded  on  the  knee  by  brickbat. 

John  Fostier,  wounded  on  the  head  with  a  stone. 

C.  G.  Gill,  bad  wound  on  the  knee  from  the  breech  of 
a  gun. 

Joshua  W.  Pennall,  knocked  in  the  head  by  a  brickbat. 

John  Kempton,  several  bad  bruises  on  the  legs  and 
arms  from  paving  stones. 

Morris  Meade,  wounded  in  the  leg  by  a  brickbat. 

Lieut.  Jarnes  Rowe,  two  side  cuts  in  the  head  from 
brickbats. 

Daniel  Brown,  third  finger  of  the  left  hand  shot  off. 

Company  D,  Lowell.     C.  H.  Chandler,  wounded  in 
the  head  by  a  .brick.     (Pop-corn  man.) 

Company  7,  Lawrence.     V.  G.  Gingrass,  shot  through 
the  arm. 

Alonzo  Joy,  two  fingers  shot  off. 

Sergeant  G.  J.  Dorall,  cut  on  the  head  with  a  brickbat. 
Company  D.     W.  H.  Samson,  struck  in  the  eye  and 
on  the  back  of  the  head  with  paving  stones,  with  other 
severe  bruises  on  the  body. 

Charles  Stinson  of  Company  C,  of  Lowell,  had  nose 
broken  with  a  brick. 

Company  D.    Ira  W.  Moore,  badly  wounded  on  left 
arm  with  brickbat. 

Geo.  Alexander,  back  of  the  head  and  neck  badly  cut 
with  a  brick. 

The  names  of  the  brave  soldiers  who  fell  in  this  heroic 


166  THE  KEBELLION   IN  THE    UNITED   STATES. 

expedition  will  stand  011  our  nation's  history  parallel 
with  those  of  the  Revolution,  and  be  immortalized  with 
the  sacred  memories  which  cluster  around  the  men  of 
Concord  and  Lexington. 

It  is  stated  that  one  of  the  Massachusetts  soldiers  who 
was  mortally  wounded  and  bled  to  death,  while  in  the 
last  struggles  stood  erect,  raised  his  right  hand  toward 
heaven,  and  exclaimed,  — "  All  hail  to  the  stars  and 
stripes  !  "  and  instantly  expired. 

April  21.  Thus  far  it  appears  that  the  Sixth  Regiment, 
under  Col.  Jones,  has  arrived  in  Washington,  forcing  its 
way  through  Baltimore.  The  Fourth  Regiment  under 
Col.  Packard,  and  the  Third  under  Col.  Wardrop,  were 
safely  landed  at  Fortress  Monroe.  The  Eighth  Regiment 
under  Col.  Munroe  of  Lynn,  accompanied  by  Brig.  Gen 
eral  Butler,  has  reached  Annapolis,  by  steamers  from 
Philadelphia,  en  route  for  Washington,  the  railway  com 
munication  having  been  temporarily  interrupted. 

Having  followed  them  to  their  destination,  we  leave 
them  here,  and  take  a  general  survey  of  the  whole  coun 
try. 

A  diabolical  attempt  was  made  to  poison  the  Fourth 
Regiment  while  on  board  the  "  State  of  Maine  "  at  New 
York,  previous  to  leaving  for  Fortress  Monroe,  on  the 
eighteenth,  by  sending  poisoned  brandy  on  board.  One 
died,  and  four  or  five  others  suffered  very  much  from  its 
influence,  but  recovered.  The  perpetrator  of  the  outrage 
is  unknown. 

April  19th.  The  President  issued  a  proclamation  or 
dering  the  blockade  of  the  ports  of  South  Carolina,  Geor 
gia,  Alabama,  Florida,  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas, 
and  declaring  that  if  any  person,  acting  under  the  pre 
tended  authority  of  said  States,  shall  molest  a  vessel  of 
the  United  States,  or  the  persons  or  cargo  on  board,  such 
person  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  piracy. 

General  Scott  issued  an  order  extending  the  military 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES.  167 

department  of  "Washington  so  as  to  include  the  District 
of  Columbia  and  the  States  of  Maryland,  Delaware  and 
Pennsylvania,  and  appointing  Major-General  Patterson  to 
the  command. 

Governor  Hicks,  of  Maryland,  and  Mayor  Brown,  of 
Baltimore,  informed  the  President  that  it  was  not  possi 
ble  for  soldiers  to  pass  through  Baltimore  unless  they 
fought  their  way.  President  Lincoln  replied  that  no 
more  troops  would  pass  through  the  city  for  the  present, 
provided  they  were  allowed  to  pass  armed  around  the  city 
unmolested. 

The  city  council  of  Philadelphia  appropriated  one  million 
dollars  to  equip  volunteers  and  support  their  families. 

Governor  Buckingham,  of  Connecticut,  issued  a  procla 
mation  calling  for  the  Second  Regiment  of  volunteers. 
Fourteen  thousand  dollars  were  subscribed  at  Norwich, 
for  the  families  of  volunteers. 

Rhode  Island  Marine  Artillery  arrived  in  New  York 
with  six  pieces  of  artillery,  and  left  same  day  for  Wash 
ington.  Governor  Hicks,  of  Maryland,  telegraphed  Gov 
ernor  Sprague,  of  Rhode  Island,  as  follows :  — 

Governor  Hicks  to  Governor  Sprague  :  —  "I  understand 
you  are  about  to  proceed  to  Washington  with  the  Rhode 
Island  regiment.  I  advise  you  not  to  take  them  through 
Baltimore,  and  thus  save  trouble." 

Governor  Sprague  to  Governor  Hicks  :  —  "  The  Rhode 
Island  Regiment  are  going  to  fight,  and  it  matters  not 
whether  they  fight  in  Baltimore  or  Washington." 

The  war  feeling  was  increasing.  New  companies  were 
concentrating.  Seventeen  hundred  volunteers,  from  Ohio, 
arrived  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  en  route  for  Washington.  From 
Springfield,  111.,  we  learn  that  forty-nine  companies  had 
been  accepted,  and  tenders  of  as  many  more  had  been 
made.  All  the  railroad  companies  of  the  State  had  vol 
unteered  to  carry  accepted  companies  to  the  place  of  ren 
dezvous  free  of  charge. 


168  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

In  Chicago,  two  thousand  men  had  signed  the  muster- 
roll.  The  Zouave  regiment  was  fast  filling  up,  and  the 
enthusiasm  was  intense. 

A  dispatch  from  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  April  18th,  says  :  — 
"A  large  number  of  companies  have  arrived,  and  the 
camp,  forming  a  mile  above  the  city,  is  alive  with  excite 
ment  to-night.  The  whole  population  are  in  the  streets. 
Two  companies  are  quartered  in  the  legislative  halls. 
There  will  be  eight  thousand  troops  here  by  Saturday. 
Every  train  brings  hundreds.  A  special  messenger  has 
been  sent  to  Washington  for  arms." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  only  three  days  have 
elapsed  since  the  President  issued  his  proclamation  call 
ing  for  troops.  A  correspondent  writes  from  Washington, 
under  date  April  19th :  —  "  Twenty-four  companies,  aver 
aging  one  hundred  men,  have  already  been  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  government.  Five  hundred  Pennsylva 
nia  troops  arrived  this  afternoon.  Several  were  hurt 
with  stones  while  passing  through  Baltimore.  They  are 
quartered  in  the  Capitol. 

"  The  old  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  where 
Clay,  Adams,  Webster,  Calhoun,  McDuffie  and  hundreds 
of  others,  eminent  in  public  life,  deliberated,  is  now  turned 
into  barracks.  Company  E  (Washington)  are  quar 
tered  in  the  handsome  room  on  Revolutionary  Claims. 
Two  of  the  Pennsylvania  companies  are  quartered  in  the 
luxurious  committee-rooms  of  the  north  wing.  The  sol 
diers  had  Brussels  carpets,  marble  wash-stands,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing,  but  seemed  to  think  they  should  prefer 
to  all  this  to  have  a  bite  of  something  to  eat,  as  they  had 
tasted  nothing  since  a  hasty  early  breakfast  at  Harrisburg. 
They  had  suffered,  too,  miserably  from  thirst  on  the  way, 
and,  at  one  station  where  they  stopped,  were  glad  to 
quench  their  thirst  in  a  pool  of  muddy  water  standing  in 
a  field.  This,  with  the  hostile  reception  received  at  Balti 
more,  gave  them  a  pretty  rude  taste  of  soldiers'  life. 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


169 


They  took  all  in  good  spirits,  except  the  failure  in  the 
commissariat  department  at  their  quarters.  Some  bacon 
sides  had  been  served  out  in  the  basement  (Senate  kitch 
en  refectory),  where  a  fire  had  been  started,  and  some  of 
the  soldiers  were  struggling,  with  a  dull  knife,  to  chip  off 
a  rasher,  but  nothing  seemed  to  be  in  readiness  for  the 
hungry  men." 

In  New  York  city  all  classes  were  aroused.  The  First 
Regiment  of  Zouaves  bound  themselves  by  a  solemn  oath 
to  march  through  Baltimore. 

On  the  19th  the  Trinity  Church  steeple  was  graced 
with  a  starry  flag,  amidst  the  uproarious  cheers  of  thou 
sands  in  Broadway  and  Wall  Streets.  The  chimes  pealed 
out  the  "  Star-Spangled  Banner"  and  "  Hail  Columbia." 

The  celebrated  Seventh  Regiment,  of  New  York,  Col. 
Lefferts,  numbering  nine  hundred  and  ninety-one  men, 
left  New  York  for  Washington.  They  received  a  contin 
uous  ovation  all  through  New  Jersey.  Cannon  were  fired 
and  houses  illuminated.  They  reached  Philadelphia  late 
at  night.  The  streets  were  alive  with  people  to  witness 
their  arrival.  They  proceeded  on  their  way,  and  arrived 
at  Annapolis  on  the  21st,  where  they  were  joined  by  the 
Massachusetts  Eighth,  with  Gen.  Butler. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  the  New  York  Sev 
enth  and  Massachusetts  Eighth  Regiments  marched  from 
Annapolis,  and  arrived  at  the  Junction,  a  distance  of 
nineteen  miles,  at  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  25th, 
and,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  left  in  the  train  for 
Washington. 

To  give  those  of  our  readers  who  have  never  witnessed 
such  a  scene  some  faint  idea  of  the  hasty  greetings  and 
hurried  farewells  immediately  preceding  the  departure 
of  a  regiment,  we  subjoin  the  following  from  a  New  York 
paper.  It  may  provoke  a  smile,  and  serve  to  lighten  a 
dark  picture. 

"  At  about  a  quarter  to  three  o'clock  a  general  hurry 

15 


170  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

and  movement  throughout  the  rooms  indicated  that  the 
time  for  muster  was  near  at  hand.  The  officers  moved 
faster  and  seemed  more  preoccupied.  Col.  Lefferts  blunt 
ly  declined  the  offer  of  an  escort  from  the  Zouave  corps, 
on  the  ground  that  it  should  have  been  made  before,  and 
that  he  had  now  no  time  to  arrange  for  it.  Recruits 
were  told  that  it  was  too  late  to  consider  their  cases  now, 
and  that  they  must  report  at  some  volunteer  station. 
The  members  began  to  file  off  into  their  company  rooms, 
from  which  outsiders  were  now  excluded.  Tardy  arrivals 
were  greeted  enthusiastically,  in  the  same  spirit  that  the 
Biblical  shepherd  rejoiced  more  over  the  one  sheep  he 
imagined  lost  than  over  the  flocks  he  had  safely  penned. 
4  Why,  here's  Pete  ! '  '  I  thought  you  wasn't  coming  ; ' 
'  Bully  for  you,  old  buffer ! '  were  the  rough  welcomes 
shouted  to  new-comers.  Yonder  are  a  party  of  friends, 
some  of  whom  are  to  go  with  the  regiment,  while  the 
others  stay  at  home,  and  you  may  hear  the  request, — 
4  Kill  one  of  the  scoundrels  for  me,  Billy ; '  the  advice, 
'  Take  care  of  yourself,  old  fellow,  and  I'll  see  to  things 
at  home ; '  the  promise,  <  I'll  come  back  promoted, 
father,  or  I  won't  come  back  at  all ; '  and  then,  in  a 
woman's  voice,  i  God  bless  you !  I  shall  think  of  you  and 
pray  for  you  all  the  time.  It's  very  hard  to,  but ' —  and 
then  a  few  tears,  low  whisperings  and  a  kiss.  The  mOst 
thoughtless  began  to  grow  serious  now,  and  the  most 
frivolous  became  earnest  and  anxious. 

"  Then,  as  the  soldiers  began  to  engage  more  in  conver 
sation  with  each  other,  various  interesting  circumstances 
in  connection  with  their  departure  began  to  be  mentioned. 
Here  were  several  post-office  clerks,  who  had  bee^n  granted 
leave  of  absence,  with  full  pay,  for  the  war ;  clerks  in  va 
rious  mercantile  houses  had  the  same  leave,  with  the 
same  conditions.  A  Mr.  Murphy  had  sent  two  sons  and 
two  employees  with  the  Seventh,  and  armed  them  with  fine 
revolvers.  Other  soldiers  had  been  presented  with  revol- 


THE  REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


171 


vers,  also,  and  a  general  display  of  five  and  six-shooters 
ensued.  This  man  had  been  married  only  two  days  be 
fore,  but  his  wife  said  '  Go,'  and  he  came.  Another  was 
engaged  to  be  married  on  Sunday,  but  the  wedding  was 
postponed  three  months,  that  he  might  serve  his  country. 
'I  may  die  a  bachelor  yet,  you  know,'  he  lightly 
remarked,  as  he  told  of  the  circumstances.  '  I  haven't 
had  time  to  arrange  my  business,  for  I  onjy  received 
notice  that  we  should  move  at  ten  o'clock,  to-day,'  re 
marked  another,  '  but  I'm  here,  my  hearties.'  '  I  won 
der  will  all  the  boys  turn  out  ?  '  said  a  sergeant ;  '  a  day 
and  a  half  is  short  work,  eh  ? '  '  By  George,'  laughed 
another,  adjusting  his  sword-belt,  '  I  came  up  here  to  bid 
you  good-by,  but  I  couldn't  stand  it,  so  I  jumped  into 
these  things,  and  will  go  along.  Didn't  have  much  time 
to  bid  the  folks  farewell  you  bet.'  '  What  do  you  think 
the  Governor  said  to  me  ?  '  asked  a  young  recruit ;  <  why, 
he  said  "  Remember  Sumter  1 "  and  said  he'd  like  to  go 
too.'  '  That's  like  Fan,'  shouted  another ;  '  she  said 
she'd  go  if  she  were  a  man.  Do  you  think  I'd  back  out 
after  that  ? '  '  How  are  you,  my  boy  ?  You  didn't  back 
out,  did  you  ? '  Then  a  long  shake-hands,  and  the  re 
sponse,  i  Nor  I  didn't  want  to.'  4  Here's  a  bouquet 
Mollio  sent.  Look  at  that,  —  "  May  peace  soon  bring  you 
back  to  me." '  <  Mother  gave  me  this  little  flag.  God 
bless  her !  I'll  never  disgrace  it.'  '  What  do  you  think 
of  that  for  a  badge?  (displaying  a  beautifully-worked 
rosette);  that  goes  over  my  heart.'  Breaking  up  these 
conversations  there  came,  every  once  in  a  while,  cheers 
upon  cheers  for  the  Seventh  and  for  the  Union,  and 
snatches  of  national  songs,  shouted  with  hearty,  untrem- 
ulous  voices." 

On  the  20th  the  Virginia  secessionists,  in  Richmond, 
had  a  great  rejoicing  over  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter.  They 
claim  to  have  had  three  thousand  in  procession,  hoisted 
the  Southern  Confederacy  flag,  fired  a  hundred  guns, 


172 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


and  had  exulting  speeches  from  Governor  Letcher,  Attor 
ney-General  Tucker,  and  other  magnates.  On  motion  of 
John  M.  Patton,  they  enthusiastically 

"  Resolved,  That  we  rejoice  with  high,  exultant,  heart 
felt  joy  at  the  triumph  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  over 
the  accursed  government  at  Washington  in  the  capture  of 
Fort  Sumter." 

Many  of  ^he  houses  were  brilliantly  illuminated  from 
attic  to  cellar ;  flags  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  were 
abundantly  displayed  from  roofs  and  windows  ;  the  streets 
blazed  with  bonfires  ;  the  sky  lighted  with  showers  of  pyro 
technics  ;  and,  until  midnight,  crowd  after  crowd  found 
speakers  to  address  them  from  balconies  and  street-corners. 

An  immense  meeting,  called  by  Virginia  citizens  at  Mo 
bile,  took  place  011  the  18th,  with  great  enthusiasm  and 
rejoicing  over  the  secession  of  Virginia.  At  Montgomery, 
same  day,  a  meeting  of  the  Virginians,  Louisianians, 
Tennesseeans  and  Kentuckians  was  held,  to  rejoice  over 
the  glorious  news  from  Virginia.  One  hundred  guns 
were  fired,  the  city  illuminated,  and  general  joy  expressed 
that  the  revolution  was  complete.  Nearly  all  the  naval 
officers  of  Virginia  had  sent  in  their  resignations  to 
Washington.  The  confederate  flag  was  raised  at  Point 
of  Rocks,  in  Maryland,  on  the  19th.  The  rebellion  in 
Virginia  was  formidable.  Northern  men,  with  their  fami 
lies,  were  expelled,  leaving  everything,  narrowly  escaping 
with  their  lives.  So  bitter  was  the  feeling  against  them 
that  many  were  compelled  to  leave  for  expressing  Union 
sentiments. 

Governor  Dennison,  of  Ohio,  appointed  Capt.  George 
B.  McClellan,  formerly  of  the  army,  major-general  and 
commander-in-chief  of  the  Ohio  State  troops.  This  gen 
tleman  is  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  served  with  marked 
distinction  during  the  Mexican  war,  and  was  one  of 
three  officers  sent  by  our  government  to  watch  the  cam 
paign  at  the  Crimea. 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


Steamship  Star  of  the  West  captured  by  rebels,  under 
Col.  Van  Dorn,  off  Indianola,  and  taken  to  New  Orleans 
as  a  prize  to  the  Confederate  States. 

April  20th.  A  mob  from  Baltimore  destroyed  the 
railroad  bridges  on  the  line  to  Philadelphia.  All  the 
bridges  between  Baltimore  and  Havre  de  Grace  were 
destroyed  or  rendered  useless.  The  trains  on  the  night 
of  the  20th  went  through  safely  to  the  bridge  at  Canton 
(three  miles  from  Baltimore),  where  a  crowd  lying  in 
wait  fired  pistols  at  the  engineer,  who  stopped  the  train. 
The  crowd  compelled  the  passengers  to  leave  the  cars, 
and,  taking  possession  of  them,  forced  the  engineer  to 
take  them  back  to  the  Gunpowder  River  bridge.  Here 
the  train  stopped.  The  crowd  set  fire  to  the  draw  of  the 
bridge,  and  remained  until  that  portion  was  burnt.  They 
then  returned  to  the  Bush  River  bridge,  and  set  the 
draw  on  fire.  Next  they  went  to  the  Canton  bridge  and 
burned  that.  The  train  then  conveyed  its  passengers  to 
Baltimore. 

A  body  of  carpenters  and  workmen,  armed,  were  sent 
from  Harrisburg  to  repair  the  bridges  on  the  Northern 
and  Central  Road,  which,  conjointly  with  men  sent  from 
Philadelphia,  and  some  Massachusetts  soldiers,  soon  put 
the  road  in  good  order. 

Gosport  Navy  Yard,  opposite  Norfolk,  Va.,  was  burned 
by  United  States  officers,  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  secessionists.  United  States  ships  Pennsyl 
vania,  seventy-four  guns  ;  Delaware,  seventy-four  ;  Colum 
bus,  seventy-four;  steam-frigate  Merrimac,  forty-four; 
frigate  Raritan,  forty-four ;  frigate  Columbia,  forty-four ; 
sloop  Germantown,  twenty-two ;  sloop  Plymouth,  twenty- 
two  ;  brig  Dolphin,  eight ;  and  the  frigate  United  States 
(in  ordinary),  in  the  harbor,  were  scuttled  and  set  on 
fire.  The  value  of  property  destroyed  is  estimated  at 
fifty  million  dollars. 

The  steamer  Yankee  reports  arrived  at  Norfolk,  on  the 

15* 


174  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE    UNITED   STATES. 

afternoon  of  the  17th,  and,  finding  a  movement  afloat  to 
seize  her,  proceeded  to  the  navy  yard  and  placed  herself 
under  the  guns  of  the  yard. 

On  the  18th  the  custom-house  officers  came  to  seize  her, 
but  the  commander  of  the  yard  refused  to  yield  her. 

On  the  20th  the  Pawnee,  under  Commodore  Paulding, 
arrived  at  Fort  Monroe,  took  aboard  the  Third  Massachu 
setts  Regiment,  and  proceeded  to  the  navy  yard,  where 
the  officers  had  commenced  destroying  the  public  property 
to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

They  had  scuttled  all  the  ships,  the  Cumberland  being 
the  only  one  in  commission ;  they  cut  down  the  shears,  &c. 
Preparations  were  made  to  make  demolition  complete. 

The  Pawnee,  with  the  Cumberland  in  tow,  assisted  by 
the  Yankee,  started,  and,  after  passing  the  navy  yard,  sent 
up  a  signal  rocket,  when  a  match  was  applied,  and  in 
an  instant  ships,  ship-houses  and  store-houses  were  in 
flames. 

So  rapid  were  the  flames  that  Commander  Rogers,  of 
the  navy,  and  Captain  Wright,  of  the  engineers,  were 
unable  to  reach  the  point  of  rendezvous,  where  a  boat  was 
waiting  for  them,  and  were  left  behind.  Large  quanti 
ties  of  provisions,  cordage,  machinery,  and  buildings  of 
great  value,  were  destroyed.  The  burning  of  the  navy 
yard  was  done  by  Union  men,  who  were  in  the  majority, 
but  comparatively  unarmed. 

When  the  Pawnee  came  up,  the  Cumberland  and  Mer- 
rimac  lay  broadside  to,  their  guns  loaded,  thinking  she 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  Similar  opinion  prevailed 
on  board  the  Pawnee,  and  she  was  ready  for  action.  The 
cheering  aboard  the  vessels  and  on  shore  showed  how 
satisfactory  was  the  answer  to  our  hail  from  the  Cumber 
land,  that  she  was  the  United  States  steamer  Pawnee. 

The  Union  men  employed  in  the  navy  yard  cut  down 
the  flag-staff  so  that  it  could  not  be  used  by  the  rebels. 
The  guns  in  the  navy  yard  were  spiked. 


THE  REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  175 

The  following  letter  from  a  private  in  the  New  Bedford 
company  at  Fort  Monroe,  describing  the  part  he  took  in 
the  destruction  of  the  Norfolk  navy-yard  property,  will  be 
read  with  interest.  The  writer  is  well  known,  a  rising 
lawyer  of  ability,  and  distinguished  for  his  many  virtues 
of  character  and  patriotism :  — 

"  And  so,  brother ,  I  am  a  soldier,  and  have  already 

encountered  a  soldier's  dangers.  Let  my  enlistment  and 
the  journey  here  pass.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  I  arrived 
here  on  Saturday,  about  eleven,  A.  M.  .  .  .  We  were 
exhausted  with  poor  fare,  sea-sickness,  want  of  sleep,  and 
bad  air.  We  expected  to  remain  here  and  defend  this 
fort.  At  about  five  in  the  afternoon,  as  we  were  expect 
ing  quarters  and  a  good  night's  sleep,  we  were  summoned 
into  line,  and  ordered  to  the  Norfolk  navy  yard,  which 
was  in  immediate  danger ;  and  we  were  to  defend  it 
against  the  Virginians,  or  retake  it  if  it  had  been  captured 
by  the  Southern  troops  collected  there.  We  had  about  a 
hundred  regulars,  the  marines  of  the  Pawnee.  We,  un 
disciplined  and  ill-conditioned  as  we  were,  went  on  board 
the  Pawnee,  just  from  Charleston.  We  trod  for  the  first 
time  a  man-of-war  —  and  her  guns  looked  deathly.  Our 
friends  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  felt  that  they  should  see 
few  of  us  again.  We  received  our  twenty-five  cartridges 
and  percussion  caps  apiece,  and  loaded  our  guns  without 
putting  the  caps  on.  At  or  near  Norfolk,  we  passed  the 
frowning  batteries  of  the  secessionists.  The  marines  had 
the  cannon  pushed  forward,  all  ready  to  return  a  fire  at 
any  moment.  Hot  shot  from  the  batteries  could  have 
sunk  us  ;  but  they  did  not  open,  and  we  went  safely  on. 

"  We  approached  the  navy  yard  about  half-past  eight  in 
the  evening.  We  were  serious,  but  calm,  and  were 
ready  for  a  fight.  I  held  my  percussion  cap  in  my  hand. 
We  knew  not  whether  the  navy  yard  was  in  possession  of 
our  friends  or  enemies.  But  we  found  that  it  was  still 
ours.  As  we  came  within  almost  pistol-shot  of  the  Cum- 


176  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

berland  there,  our  boatswain  saw  that  her  men  were  just 
applying  the  matches  to  guns  which  would  rake  our  bow, 
where  our  company  was.  If  they  had  fired,  our  company 
would  have  been  destroyed.  She  had  mistaken  our 
signal,  and  thought  we  were  secessionists.  Our  boat 
swain  cried  out,  again,  '  Pawnee !  United  States  ship ! ' 
and  the  mistake  was  discovered  in  time,  and  the  men  of 
the  Cumberland,  and  also  of  the  Pennsylvania,  gave  us  a 
round  of  cheers,  and  their  bands  played  c  Hail  Columbia.' 
We  disembarked,  and  at  once  were  set  to  rolling  several 
thousand  shells  and  balls  into  the  sea  and  laying  powder 
trains  ;  while  the  marines  spiked  or  otherwise  disabled  the 
cannon  in  the  yard.  We  went  on  board  about  half-past 
twelve  o'clock  at  night,  but  the  Pawnee  did  not  leave  till 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

"  Soon  after  we  left,  the  powder  trains  exploded ;  the 
vessels,  three  or  four  of  which  we  left  behind,  and  the 
buildings,  were  all  in  a  blaze,  lighting  the  sea  for  a  long 
distance.  This  loss  of  the  munitions  of  war  to  Virginia  is 
immense.  On  our  return  we  passed  the  batteries,  which 
we  expected  the  exasperated  Virginians  would  fire  upon 
us,  and  the  marines  stood  at  their  guns.  The  comman 
der  said  we  should  have  a  warm  time.  Still,  we  were  so 
exhausted,  that  we  even  lay  down  to  sleep.  The  marines 
told  us  they  did  not  see  how  we  could  sleep  when  we 
were  likely  to  be  sunk  at  any  moment.  For  some  reasons 
which  we  do  not  know,  the  batteries  did  not  open  on  us, 
and  we  were  happily  preserved.  Our  men  were  calm, 
and  for  my  own  part,  I  felt  only  a  little  different  from 
what  I  should  in  doing  a  responsible  piece  of  law  business. 

"  It  is  singular  to  witness  the  elasticity  of  human  nature, 
which  adapts  itself  to  almost  anything.  There  was  some 
thing  almost  sublime  in  the  stoicism  of  the  regulars. 
While  we  were  at  Norfolk  the  secessionists  sunk  vessels 
in  the  channel  to  prevent  our'  return.  They  were  under 
the  direction  of  a  Virginian,  late  a  lieutenant  in  the  ser- 


THE   EEBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  177 

vice  of  the  United  States.  We,  however,  passed  through. 
We  got  back  to  the  fort  at  about  six  o'clock,  on  Sunday 
forenoon.  We  were  gladly  welcomed  by  our  friends  of 
the  Third  Regiment,  who  expected  to  find  our  ranks 
thinned.  Some  of  them  hardly  dared  to  meet  us,  expect 
ing  to  find  that  many  had  fallen." 

John  C.  Breckenridge  made  a  great  speech  at  Louisville, 
Ky.,  denouncing  the  government.  A  great  mass-meet 
ing  was  held  in  New  York.  All  parties  for  the  Union. 
The  United  States  arsenal  at  Liberty,  Mo.,  was  seized  by 
rebels. 

On  the  20th,  Governor  Andrew  received  a  dispatch 
from  Brigadier-General  Butler,  requesting  him  to  forward 
more  troops,  arms,  and  ammunition,  as  speedily  as  possi 
ble,  in  order  that  they  could  force  a  passage  through  to 
Washington.  Active  measures  were  immediately  taken  to 
comply  with  the  request,  and  a  special  order  was  issued 
calling  out  the  Light  Artillery,  in  addition  to  the  compa 
nies  composing  the  Fifth  Regiment. 

The  Somerville  Light  Infantry  (Co.  B,  Fifth  Regiment), 
Capt.  Brastow,  arrived,  and  proceeded  to  Faneuil  Hall, 
where  the  Fifth  Regiment  was  quartered.  The  company 
was  composed  of  fine-looking  men,  and  when  they  passed 
down  State  Street  the  crowd  of  spectators  applauded 
heartily. 

The  Mechanic  Light  Infantry,  of  Salem  (Co.  B,  Seventh 
Regiment),  Capt.  George  H.  Pierson,  and  the  Salem  City 
Guard  (Co.  H,  Seventh  Regiment),  Capt.  Henry  F.  Dan- 
forth,  having  been  detailed  to  join  the  Fifth  Regiment,  left 
Salem  in  an  extra  train  at  nine  o'clock  on  Saturday  morn 
ing.  Previous  to  their  departure  a  beautiful  silk  flag  was 
presented  to  the  Mechanic  Light  Infantry  by  Perley  Put 
nam,  a  veteran  eighty-four  years  of  age,  and  a  former 
commander  of  the  corps.  The  city  government  of  Salem 
voted  $15,000  for  the  benefit  of  the  families  of  the  vol 
unteers. 


178  THE   REBELLION  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

The  companies  arrived  at  the  Eastern  Railroad  depot, 
Boston,  about  ten  o'clock,  and  marched  to  Faneuil  Hall, 
where  the  commanders  reported  for  duty  to  Col.  Law 
rence. 

Every  endeavor  was  made  to  have  the  regiment  prop 
erly  equipped  and  on  the  road  by  six  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon  ;  but  it  was  found  impossible  to  have  the  overcoats 
and  under-garments  in  readiness  before  midnight.  The 
Light  Artillery,  Major  Cook,  were  ready  to  start  very  soon 
after  receiving  the  order,  with  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men.  The  horses  necessary  for  the  company, 
seventy  in  number,  were  purchased  of  the  Metropolitan 
Railroad  Corporation.  The  full  battery,  six  brass  six- 
pounders,  together  with  the  horses,  ten  tons  of  powder, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  shot,  were  sent  on  a  train,  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  to  New  York.  At  about  half-past 
one  o'clock  the  artillery  company  marched  to  the  Wor 
cester  Railroad  depot,  and  took  their  places  in  the  train, 
where  they  waited  until  the  Fifth  Regiment  arrived. 
About  five  o'clock,  refreshments,  in  the  shape  of  baked 
beans,  were  served  to  each  man ;  and  after  they  got 
through  they  amused  themselves  by  throwing  the  plates 
out  of  the  windows  of  the  cars  and  smashing  them. 

The  Fifth  Regiment  were  not  able  to  get  all  of  their 
equipments  until  a  very  late  hour.  At  four  o'clock  the 
different  companies  were  ordered  up,  and,  after  receiving 
their  rations,  the  regimental  line  was  formed,  and  they 
marched  to  the  Worcester  depot.  A  large  crowd  was 
assembled  to  see  them  off,  notwithstanding  the  unseason 
able  hour.  The  artillery  company  started  in  a  train  by 
themselves  at  about  six  o'clock,  and  the  Fifth  Regiment 
started  about  half  an  hour  later.  They  were  joined  at 
Worcester  by  the  Third  Battalion  of  Rifles,  Major  T.  E. 
D  evens. 

On  the  night  of  the  20th,  at  the  solemn  hour  of  mid 
night,  the  writer  of  this  work,  in  company  with  a  gentle- 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


179 


man  friend,  accompanied  an  anxious  mother  to  take 
another  look  of  her  darling  son,  who  was  one  of  Major 
Cook's  artillerists,  and  who  was  to  leave  that  night.  All 
was  still  and  quiet  save  here  and  there  the  rapid  footfall 
of  a  soldier  or  perhaps  two,  hurrying  to  their  place  of 
rendezvous,  their  bright  arms  glittering  in  the  moonlight, 
or  now  and  then  the  clattering  of  hoofs  with  a  solitary 
carriage  conveying  some  friends  of  soldiers  to  "  see  them 
once  more,"  before  they  departed.  No  noise  or  confusion 
indicated  to  us  the  place  of  their  meeting.  We  wended 
our  way  to  the  State  House.  All  was  silent,  —  no  signs 
of  life.  We  passed  around  to  the  back  entrance,  where 
stood  a  solitary  carriage  waiting  for  some  officers  who 
were  in  council  with  the  governor  in  the  executive  cham 
ber.  A  sentinel,  pacing  to  and  fro,  demanded  to  know 
our  business.  On  being  informed,  he  gave  us  all  neces 
sary  information  as  to  where-  the  troops  could  be  found. 
We  proceeded  hastily  to  the  "  armory,"  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  city.  On  arriving  there,  we  found  congregated  an 
immense  mass  of  human  beings  anxiously  waiting  for  the 
soldiers  to  come  out,  as  there  was  "  no  admittance  "  inside. 
As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  ladies  were  in  waiting,  an 
officer  came  out,  and  our  gentleman  attendant  told  him 
our  business,  and  asked  him  if  we  could  go  in.  He  re 
plied,  "  Oh,  yes ;  I'll  take  the  ladies  in,  but  I  can't  take 
you  in."  A  signal  rap,  and  the  door  was  opened  just 
sufficient  to  crowd  through,  and  immediately  closed  after 
us.  And  such  a  scene  !  The  soldiers  were  amusing 
themselves  in  every  imaginable  "  innocent  "  way.  Some 
were  stretched  011  benches  to  get  a  few  moments'  rest ; 
some  were  talking  and  laughing  ;  others  seemed  sober 
and  thoughtful ;  while  in  one  corner  of  the  room  a  com 
pany  of  a  dozen  or  more  were  singing  "  Dixie  "  at  the 
top  of  their  voices,  which  had  scarcely  ended  when  a 
crowd  in  another  part  of  the  room  struck  up 

"  I  am  going  home  to  die  no  more." 


180  THE  REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

We  found  the  object  of  our  search,  and  after  a  few 
moments'  conversation  we  took  an  affectionate  farewell  of 
him  and  hurried  to  our  homes. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  they  left  Boston  for 
the  seat  of  war. 

April  21.  Steamers  Baltic,  with  the  New  York  Twelfth 
Regiment,  the  R.  R.  Cuyler,  with  the  Eleventh,  the  Colum 
bia,  with  the  Sixth  Regiment  on  board,  accompanied  by 
the  Harriet  Lane,  with  sealed  orders,  left  New  York  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  regiments  marched  down  Broadway  about  one 
o'clock,  embarking  at  two  o'clock.  The  scene  on  Broad 
way  and  at  the  piers  defies  description.  Probably  from 
four  to  five  hundred  thousand  people  witnessed  their 
departure,  perfectly  wild  with  joyful  and  patriotic  enthu 
siasm,  though  tinctured  with  sorrow  by  relatives. 

The  Rhode  Island  regiment,  under  command  of  Gov 
ernor  Sprague,  one  thousand  strong,  arrived  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  left  in  the  Coalzacoalcos  at  sundown. 

The  harbor  was  the  scene  of  great  excitement  as  the 
fleet  left.  All  the  piers,  landings,  and  house-tops  in  New 
York,  Jersey  City,  Hoboken,  and  Brooklyn,  and  the  Bat 
tery,  were  crowded  with  people,  and  thousands  of  boats 
filled  with  people  saluted  them  as  they  steamed  down 
the  bay.  Flags  were  dipped,  cannons  roared,  bells  rang, 
and  steam-whistles  shrilly  saluted,  and  thousands  sent  up 
cheers  of  parting. 

Over  four  thousand  men  left  New  York  on  that  day  for 
the  seat  of  war.  From  this  date,  for  many  days,  troops 
were  rapidly  pouring  in  for  Washington,  Annapolis,  and 
Fortress  Monroe. 

The  United  States  Branch  Mint  at  Charlotte,  N.  C., 
was  seized  by  the  rebels. 

April  22.  Governor  Hicks  sent  a  communication  to 
the  President,  urging  the  withdrawal  of  troops  from  Mary 
land,  a  cessation  of  hostilities,  and  a  reference  of  the 


THE   REBELLION  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  181 

national  dispute  to  the  arbitrament  of  Lord  Lyons.  Sec 
retary  (of  State)  Seward  replied,  that  the  troops  must 
pass  through  Maryland,  and  that  our  troubles  could  not 
be  "  referred  to  any  foreign  arbitrament." 

General  Robert  G.  Lee  was  appointed  by  the  Virginia 
convention  "  commander  of  the  military  and  naval  forces 
of  Virginia." 

The -rebel  general,  Gideon  J.  Pillow,  sent  a  message 
to  Parson  Brownlow,  inviting  him  to  act  as  chaplain  to 
his  brigade,  to  which  he  received  the  following  "  spicy  " 
reply :  — 

"KNOXVILLE,  April  22,  1861. 

"  GEN.  GIDEON  J.  PILLOW  :  —  I  have  just  received  your 
message,  through  Mr.  Sale,  requesting  me  to  serve  as 
chaplain  to  your  brigade  in  the  Southern  army ;  and  in 
the  spirit  of  kindness  in  which  this  request  is  made,  but 
in  all  candor,  I  return  for  an  answer,  that  when  I  shall 
have  made  up  my  mind  to  go  to  hell,  I  will  cut  my  throat 
and  go  direct,  and  not  travel  round  by  the  way  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy. 

"  I  am  very  respectfully,  <fec., 

"  W.  G.  BROWNLOW." 

A  correspondent  writing  from  Knoxville,  under  date  of 
April  24,  says  :  — 

"  The  house  of  the  celebrated,  bold-hearted,  and  out 
spoken  Parson  Brownlow  is  the  only  one  in  Knoxville  over 
which  the  stars  and  stripes  are  floating.  A  few  days  ago 
two  armed  secessionists  went  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing  to  haul  down  the  stars  and  stripes.  Miss  Brownlow, 
a  brilliant  young  lady  of  twenty-three,  saw  them  oii  the 
piazza,  and  stepped  out  and  demanded  their  business. 
They  replied  they  had  come  to  '  take  down  them  stars 
and  stripes.'  She  instantly  drew  a  revolver  from  her 
side,  and  presenting  it,  said,  '  Go  on !  I'm  good  for  one 
of  you,  and  I  think  for  both  ! ' 

" '  By  the  look  of  that  girl's  eye  she'll  shoot,'  one  re- 

16 


182  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

marked.  '  I  think  we'd  better  not  try  it ;  we'll  go  back 
and  get  more  men,'  said  the  other. 

" '  Go  and  get  more  men,'  said  the  noble  lady ;  4  get 
more  men  and  come  and  take  it  down,  if  you  dare  ! ' 

"  They  returned  with  a  company  of  ninety  armed  men, 
and  demanded  that  the  flag  should  be  hauled  down.  But 
on  discovering  that  the  house  was  filled  with  gallant  men, 
armed  to  the  teeth,  who  would  rather  die  as  dearly  as  pos 
sible  than  see  their  country's  flag  dishonored,  the  seces 
sionists  retired." 

The  common  council  of  New  York  passed  an  order 
appropriating  $1,000,000  to  equip  volunteers  and  pro 
vide  for  their  families. 

April  23.  General  Butler  took  military  possession  of 
the  Annapolis  and  Elk  River  Railroad. 

At  a  flag-raising  at  Newburyport,  a  large  American 
eagle  was  seen  hovering  over  the  assemblage.  The  omen 
was  hailed  with  cheers.  After  which  the  large  concourse 
assembled  joined  in  singing  "  America." 

The  first  regiment  of  South  Carolina  volunteers  left 
Charleston  for  the  seat  of  war  on  the  Potomac. 

April  24.  Governor  Magoffin,  of  Kentucky,  issued  a 
proclamation  calling  on  the  State  to  place  herself  in  a 
condition  of  defence. 

April  25.  Fort  Smith,  in  Arkansas,  seized  by  rebels, 
under  Solon  Borland. 

Major  Sibley  surrendered  four  hundred  and  fifty  Uni 
ted  States  troops  to  the  rebel  Col.  Van  Dorn,  at  Saluria, 
Texas. 

The  Maryland  legislature  met  at  Frederick.  General 
Butler  stated  that  if  they  passed  an  ordinance  of  seces 
sion  he  would  arrest  the  entire  body.  Governor  Letcher, 
of  Virginia,  issued  a  proclamation  announcing  the  trans 
fer  of  the  State  to  the  government  of  the  Southern  Con 
federacy. 

Senator  Douglas   made   a   speech  before  the   Illinois 


THE   BEBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


183 


legislature,  urging  immediate  action  in  support  of  the 
government. 

April  26.  Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia,  issued  a  proc 
lamation  prohibiting  the  payment  of  Northern  debts  till 
the  end  of  hostilities,  and  directing  the  payment  of  the 
money  into  the  State  treasury,  to  help  defray  the  expen 
ses  of  the  war. 

More  bridges  were  burned  near  Baltimore,  on  the  Phil 
adelphia  road. 

April  27.  General  Scott  was  authorized  by  the  Presi 
dent  to  suspend  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  in  the  military 
district  between  Washington  and  Philadelphia,  if  found 
necessary  to  the  public  safety.  Many  Southerners  em 
ployed  in  the  departments  at  Washington  resigned  and 
left  for  the  South,  refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 
A  steamer  loaded  with  powder  for  the  rebels  was  seized 
at  Cairo. 

The  President  issued  a  proclamation  extending  the 
blockade  to  the  ports  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina. 

While  too  much  cannot  be  said  in  praise  of  the  volun 
teers,  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  their  patriotic  spirit 
and  energy,  yet  Massachusetts  troops  seem  to  have  a 
decided  advantage  in  some  respects  over  all  others. 
They  have  so  many  apt  and  experienced  mechanics  among 
them,  that  they  find  no  difficulty  in  laying  down  rails, 
building  bridges,  or  running  trains. 

It  was  a  fortunate  dispensation  that  took  Gen.  Butler 
to  Annapolis.  His  shrewd  mind  at  once  comprehended 
the  importance  of  the  position,  and  he  set  to  work  to 
make  it  secure.  Not  until  that  work  was  accomplished, 
did  he  allow  troops  to  go  forward.  The  malice  of  the 
secessionists  was  in  one  instance  successfully  baffled. 
The  railroad  men,  besides  taking  up  the  rails,  had  done 
considerable  damage  to  the  rolling  stock.  Gen.  Butler 
sent  a  party,  apparently  unarmed,  to  the  car-shop,  who 
were  met  by  the  workmen,  who  refused  them  admittance. 


184  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

Each  Massachusetts  man  drew  a  "persuasive  argument" 
from  his  breast,  which  operated  like  magic,  and  no  fur 
ther  resistance  was  offered. 

But  another  obstacle  presented  itself.  The  only  engine 
in  the  building  had  been  taken  to  pieces  so  thoroughly, 
that  the  author  of  the  mischief  asserted  that  no  man 
north  of  the  Potomac  could  put  it  together  in  two 
months.  Our  boys  looked  at  the  scene  before  them  a 
minute ;  then  one  exclaimed,  "  I  helped  build  that 
machine."  Another  said,  "  I'll  bear  a  hand  to  put  it 
together  ;  "  and  a  dozen  others,  who  felt  perfectly  at  home 
on  the  occasion,  sprang  forward,  so  that  in  a  few  hours 
the  engine  was  under  steam. 

April  29.  Maryland  House  of  Delegates  voted  against 
secession,  53  to  13.  The  State  senate  published  an 
address,  signed  by  all  the  members,  denying  the  intention 
of  passing  an  ordinance  of  secession.  Steamships  Ten 
nessee,  Texas,  and  Hermes  seized  at  New  Orleans. 

April  30.  A  soldier  who  escaped  from  Charleston, 
states  that  the  Southern  stories  of  a  bloodless  fight  in 

o 

Charleston  harbor  are  not  true,  —  that  he  served  at  the 
guns  during  the  fight  at  Fort  Mo  nitric,  and  that  nearly 
every  shot  from  Fort  Sumter  killed  somebody.  Between 
three  and  four  hundred  were  killed,  and  a  large  number 
wounded,  at  Fort  Moultrie,  during  the  siege. 

The  killed  were  collected  in  a  mass  and  interred  at 
night  in  Potter's  field.  Many  were  also  killed  in  dwell 
ings  outside  the  fort.  The  soldiers  were  threatened  with 
death  if  they  disclosed  the  facts  about  the  killed.  Peo 
ple  were  constantly  inquiring  for  their  friends,  and  were 
assured  they  were  at  Sullivan's  Island. 

Another  soldier  who  was  at  Morris  Island  says  that 
one  hundred  and  fifty  were  killed  there,  and  forty  at 
Sullivan's  Island.  He  makes  the  same  statement  rela 
tive  to  the  dead  being  buried  at  night  in  Potter's  field. 

We  cannot  of  course  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this  state- 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


185 


ment,  though  it  would  seem  a  "  clodded  "  miracle,  if  a 
bombardment  of  forty-eight  hours  could  go  on  without 
killing  somebody ;  especially,  in  a  crowded  fort,  it  would 
hardly  be  possible  to  throw  shot  or  shell  without  hitting 
some  one  ;  whereas  in  Fort  Sumter  the  garrison  were  so 
"  few  and  far  between,"  that,  with  precaution,  they  might 
escape. 

All  masters  of  vessels  received  notice  on  the  twenty- 
fourth  to  leave  Charleston  in  forty-eight  hours,  or  they 
would  be  held  by  the  Southern  government.  Some  were 
detained  for  lack  of  men  to  work  their  ships,  and  the 
rest  fled. 

April  30.  Jefferson  Davis  sent  a  message  to  Congress 
at  Montgomery,  in  which  he  stated  that  there  were  in  the 
field,  at  Charleston  and  the  forts  in  the  South,  19,000 
men,  and  16,000  en  route  for  Virginia. 

Troops  were  constantly  passing  through  Wilmington, 
from  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  for  Richmond. 

Governor  Ellis,  of  North  Carolina,  called  for  thirty 
thousand  volunteers  additional  to  the  regular  militia,  and 
all  organized  corps  were  commanded  to  be  in  readiness  at 
an  hour's  notice. 

A  Savannah  paper  of  the  23d  says  :  "  There  are  three 
vessels  here,  ready  fitted,  waiting  for  privateer  commis 
sions,  which  will  be  received  in  a  few  days.  They  will 
be  commanded  by  skilful  seamen,  and  many  others  will 
sail  under  the  charge  of  rebel  Yankees. 

"  Recruits  are  fast  pouring  into  Savannah,  and  great 
preparations  are  making  to  join  the  rebel  army  in  the 
border  States  for  an  attack  upon  Washington.  There  is 
great  excitement  in  Savannah,  and  all  Unionism  is  effect 
ually  overawed." 

The  proclamation  of  President  Davis  to  legalize  piracy, 
the  taunt  and  defiance  bandied  between  sections,  seemed 
as  though  madness  ruled  the  hour,  and  that  nothing  but 
a  conflict  of  arms  —  dreadful  as  the  remedy  is  —  could 


186  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

restore  reason  to  its  throne.  In  the  noon  of  the  nine 
teenth  century,  in  this  trial  hour  of  our  country's  dire 
calamity,  we  distrust  our  power  to  write  aright,  but  as 
the  cloud  thickens  and  lowers  around  us,  we  stand  in  the 
faith  that  the  God  who  smiled  on  the  "  heritage  of  the 
fathers  "  will  be  with  the  sons,  and  direct  them  in  their 
efforts  to  save  the  country  now.  This  is  the  "  Light  be 
hind  the  cloud ;  "  in  this  faith  let  the  union  of  the  loyal 
men  be  perfect. 

Europe  has  told  us  we  were  not  a  military  people ; 
that  partisan  policy  would  triumph  over  government ;  but 
the  test  has  come,  and  party  is  forgotten.  Political  ene 
mies  in  peace  have  become  firm  friends  in  war. 

It  is  true,  that,  when  the  sixth  decade  of  the  nine 
teenth  century  came  to  an  end,  and  the  year  1861  was 
ushered  in,  it  found  the  North  pursuing  their  usual  quiet 
avocations  in  peace  and  harmony ;  the  entire  free  States, 
from  East  to  West,  wholly  unprepared  for  war,  and  no 
extraordinary  anxiety  manifested  in  regard  to  an  invasion 
or  a  dissolution  of  the  Union,  and,  notwithstanding  the 
foreshadowing  of  the  coming  storm,  the  North  slumbered 
on,  until  the  lightnings  from  Sumter  awoke  them  to  the 
stern  reality  that  war  had  overtaken  them  and  found 
them  sleeping  ;  —  no  arrny  ;  the  military  condition  of  the 
country  at  the  lowest  ebb ;  no  navy ;  no  equipments ; 
no  soldiers,  with  the  exception  of  here  and  there  an  in 
dependent  company,  or  an  isolated  regiment  which  had 
become  inactive  from  want  of  use.  These  were  only  a 
"  drop  in  the  bucket ;  "  but,  simultaneously  with  the  fall 
of  Sumter,  an  immense  army  sprang  into  existence,  as 
the  growth  of  a  single  night.  New  England  "  blazed" 
with  musketry  ;  New  York  arose  in  her  might ;  Pennsyl 
vania  was  awake,  and  the  great  North-west  poured  in  her 
sons  to  defend  the  country,  and  in  the  brief  period  of 
a  few  weeks  we  have  an  army  of  two  hundred  thousand 
men,  preparing  for  the  conflict  to  put  down  rebellion, 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES.  187 

and  subdue  the  enemies  of  the  government.  The  plead 
ings  are  made  up.  The  trial  has  commenced.  Armed 
hundreds  of  thousands  are  the  jury ;  and  the  world  is 
the  court. 

We  might  describe  at  great  length  the  noble  conduct 
of  many  ;  the  services  rendered ;  the  generous  donations 
of  moneyed  men ;  the  liberal  and  praiseworthy  assistance 
of  the  ladies  in  making  garments  for  the  soldiers  and 
providing  them  with  little  necessaries  .and  comforts  ;  the 
tender  of  benefits,  at  places  of  amusement,  for  soldiers 
and  their  families  ;  the  offers  of  express  companies,  rail 
road  corporations  and  shipping  merchants,  to  carry  pack 
ages,  letters  and  troops  free  of  expense ;  of  physicians, 
to  give  medicine  and  attendance,  free  of  charge,  to  the 
families  of  those  who  had  been  called  away  ;  of  heavy 
loans  to  the  government,  from  private  citizens  as  well  as 
banking  houses ;  of  reduction  of  rents ;  of  generous  do 
nations  of  ready-made  clothing  for  soldiers  ;  of  handsome 
contributions  in  churches ;  of  the  magnificent  display  of 
flags  and  decorations  by  public  and  private  individuals ; 
but  we  are  inadequate  to  the  task  —  we  cannot  do  justice 
to  the  subject.  It  would  be  impossible  to  particularize 
without  omitting  the  mention  of  many  worthy  individuals 
whose  patriotism  was  unsurpassed  ;  suffice  it  to  say,  that 
but  one  heart,  one  voice,  one  feeling  predominated. 
What  was  not  done  by  government,  was  made  up  by 
private  individuals ;  the  rich,  as  with  one  consent,  lifted 
upon  their  shoulders  the  burden  of  many  families  of 
those  who  were  gone  or  going,  —  assumed  responsibili 
ties,  and  poured  out  their  money  for  the  general  good ; 
and  to  speak  of  decorations  in  national  colors,  we  cannot 
better  express  it  than  to  say,  men,  women  and  children, 
towns,  cities  and  villages  throughout  the  free  States,  lite 
rally  "blazed"  with  red,  white  and  blue. 


CHAPTER    X.      • 

The  cause  is  sacred  in  which  they  fell, 
And  holy  the  tears  which  flow.  .  .  . 

MAY!.  Wednesday.  —  The  bodies  of  the  Massachu 
setts  men,  A.  0.  Whitney  and  Luther  C.  Ladd,  who  died 
at  Baltimore,  were  returned  to  the  State  from  which  they 
had  so  recently  departed.  Also,  Sumner  H.  Needham,  of 
Company  I,  Lawrence,  who  died  from  a  wound  (fracture 
of  the  skull)  received  in  the  attack  on  the  troops  at  Balti 
more. 

Information  was  received  at  noon  that  the  bodies  were 
on  their  way  to  Boston,  and  instant  preparations  were 
made  for  their  proper  reception.  The  Independent  Ca 
dets  were  ordered  out  to  do  escort  duty,  and  the  call 
was  promptly  answered.  At  four  o'clock  they  left  their 
armory,  under  command  of  Major  Baldwin,  and  marched 
to  the  depot  of  the  Western  Railroad. 

The  news  of  the  expected  arrival  was  announced  in 
the  Journal  and  other  papers,  and  spread  quickly ;  and  a 
large  concourse  of  citizens  collected  around  the  depot, 
anxiously  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  train.  Governor 
Andrew,  accompanied  by  two  of  his  aids,  and  Adjutant- 
General  Schouler,  with  other  gentlemen  belonging  to 
different  departments  of  the  State  government,  came  in 
hacks  to  take  the  bodies  into  the  charge  of  the  State. 

The  train  entered  the  depot  at  seven  minutes  of  five, 
and  the  bodies,  three  in  number,  laid  in  metallic  coffins, 
and  then  enclosed  in  pine  boxes,  were  taken  from  the 
cars.  They  came  in  the  care  of  Merrill  S.  Wright,  a  pri 
vate  of  the  Richardson  Light  Infantry,  of  Lowell,  who 

188 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED  STATES. 


189 


was  detailed  by  Col.  Jones,  of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  for 
that  purpose.  He  left  Washington  on  Monday,  arriving 
at  Baltimore  the  same  evening,  and  received  the  bodies 
from  City  Marshal  Kane,  in  whose  charge  they  were.  No 
objection  was  made  by  any  of  the  authorities  of  the  city, 
and  he  left  there  Tuesday  morning  and  came  directly  to 
Boston.  Mr.  Wright  did  not  see  the  bodies,  as  the  coffins 
had  not  been  opened  since  they  were  put  in,  and  could 
say  nothing  concerning  the  truth  of  the  statement  that 
they  had  been  mutilated. 

The  bodies  were  placed  upon  biers  which  had  been  pre 
pared,  and  each  being  covered  by  an  American  flag,  they 
were  borne  into  the  street,  where  the  Cadets  had  formed 
in  line,  and  presented  arms,  while  the  band  played  "  Pley- 
el's  Hymn,"  and  all  the  spectators  stood  reverentially 
with  uncovered  heads.  The  clouds,  which  had  before 
darkened  the  heavens,  broke  suddenly  away,  and  the  sun 
looked  down  brightly  upon  the  scene  where  thousands  of 
citizens  had  gathered  with  sorrowful  hearts  to  receive  the 
bodies  of  the  martyrs  from  Massachusetts  who  fell  in  the 
cause  of  government  and  law.  Hearses  were  in  attend 
ance,  in  which  the  coffins  were  placed,  and,  surrounded  by 
the  Cadets,  they  moved  slowly  from  the  depot.  The  Gov 
ernor  and  the  gentlemen  who  accompanied  him,  with  Mr. 
Wright,  who  had  the  bodies  in  charge,  followed  in  car 
riages.  The  military  marched  with  arms  reversed,  and 
the  band  played  solemn  dirges  as  the  funeral  cortege 
passed  along  the  streets,  which  were  crowded  with  people, 
all  preserving  a  religious  silence.  The  procession  passed 
through  Washington  Street  to  West,  and  thence  up  Tre- 
mont  to  the  State  House,  over  the  same  spot  as  that  on 
which  they  stood  but  two  weeks  before  and  received  the 
banner  in  defence  of  which  they  had  fought  so  bravely. 
No  halt  was  made  until,  marching  down  Beacon  Street, 
they  reached  King's  Chapel,  at  the  corner  of  School  and 
Tremont  Streets,  in  the  vault  of  which  the  remains  were 

16* 


190  THE   REBELLION   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES. 

deposited,  with  the  same  ceremonies  which  had  charac 
terized  their  reception  at  the  depot. 

COMMONWEALTH    OP    MASSACHUSETTS. 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT,  COUNCIL  CHAMBER,  > 
BOSTON,  May  1,  1861.         ) 

Hon.  B.  C.  Sergeant,  Mayor  of  Lowell :  — 

Sm :  Mr.  Merrill  S.  Wright,  of  Lowell,  arrived  at  Bos 
ton  this  afternoon  at  five  o'clock,  in  charge  of  the  remains 
of  those  Massachusetts  men  who  fell  at  Baltimore  on  the 
19th  of  April.  I  met  these  relics  of  our  brave  and  pat 
riotic  soldiers  at  the  Worcester  Railroad  depot,  accom 
panied  by  my  military  staff  and  the  Executive  Council, 
where  we  took  them  in  charge,  and,  under  the  escort  of 
the  corps  of  Independent  Cadets,  bore  them  through  our 
streets,  thronged  by  sympathizing  citizens,  and  placed 
them  in  the  "  Yassall "  tomb  beneath  the  ancient  King's 
Chapel,  at  the  corner  of  Tremont  and  School  Streets. 
There  they  remain,  subject  to  the  orders  of  those  friends 
who  have  the  right  to  decide  their  final  disposition.  But 
it  would  be  most  grateful  to  the  Executive  Department,  in 
cooperation  with  those  nearest  to  the  lamented  dead,  to 
assist  in  the  last  funeral  honors  to  their  memory  ;  and  I 
should  be  pleased  to  meet  you  and  the  Mayor  of  Law 
rence  and  the  Selectmen  of  Stoneham,  as  soon  as  you 
may  convene  them,  at  the  State  House,  to  consider  the 
arrangements  suitable  to  the  occasion. 

I  am,  yours  respectfully, 

JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Governor. 

During  the  passage  of  the  procession  through  the 
streets  the  flags  on  the  City  Hall  and  at  other  points 
were  displayed  at  half-mast ;  and  several  stores  on  Wash 
ington  Street — Macullar,  Williams  &  Parker,  Kinmonth  & 
Co.,  George  Turnbull  &  Co.,  H.  M.  Smith,  Raymond 
&  Cary,  G.  W.  Warren  &  Co.,  Washington  Building, 
Shreve,  Brown  &  Co.,  Williams  &  Everett,  and  others  — 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES. 


191 


were  draped  in  black,  and  showed  other  emblems  of 
mourning. 

The  American  flag  was  raised  on  the  steeple  of  the  Old 
South  Church,  Boston,  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 

The  steam  transport  Cambridge  sailed  with  supplies 
for  the  Massachusetts  troops  at  Fort  Monroe,  Annapolis 
and  Washington,  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  troops 
for  the  seat  of  war,  including  Captain  Dodd's  company  of 
Rifles,  nineteen  recruits  for  the  New  Bedford  City  Guards 
at  Fort  Monroe,  ten  men  for  the  Taunton  Light  Guard, 
and  forty-two  recruits  for  Company  K,  Third  Regiment, 
stationed  at  Fort  Monroe.  She  carried,  in  addition  to 
the  volunteer  troops,  a  squad  of  twelve  picked  men,  from 
the  United  States  Marine  corps,  to  act  as  a  permanent 
guard  to  the  steamer.  The  troops  were  supplied  with 
forty  thousand  rounds  of  musket  and  rifle  cartridges,  and 
ammunition  for  the  rifled  cannon  and  broadside  guns. 
The  troops,  glowing  with  health  and  youthful  enthusiasm, 
were  in  the  best  possible  spirits,  and,  as  the  steamer 
glided  into  the  stream,  returned  with  hearty  cheers  the 
parting  salutations  of  their  friends.  When  fairly  clear  of 
the  wharf,  a  salute  was  fired  from  a  heavy  broadside  gun. 

Governor  Buckingham,  of  Connecticut,  in  his  message, 
recommends  an  efficient  State  militia ;  says  that  forty-one 
volunteer  companies  have  already  been  accepted,  and 
the  Fifth  Regiment  will  soon  be  full ;  that  all  parties  are 
acting  in  harmony  on  the  question  ;  and,  referring  to  the 
attitude  of  the  South,  he  remarks  : — 

"  The  alternative  of  submitting  to  their  claims,  or  to 
the  overthrow  of  the  government,  is  now  presented. 
The  issue  is  forced  upon  us,  and  must  be  met ;  not  by 
cowardice  and  humble  subserviency  to  usurped  authority, 
but  by  firmness  corresponding  with  the  magnitude  of  the 
interests  at  hazard,  and  in  a  spirit  that  shall  vindicate  the 
insulted  majesty  of  a  nation.  The  sceptre  of  authority 
must  be  upheld,  and  allegiance  secured.  It  is  no  time  to 


192 


THE   REBELLION   IN   THE    UNITED   STATES. 


make  concession  to  rebels,  or  parley  with  men  in  arms. 
We  must  make  no  sacrifices  of  principles  vital  to  freedom, 
and  no  indecent  haste  for  conciliation  and  peace.  '  God 
makes  haste  slowly.' 

"  This  is  the  day  of  our  trial.  Freedom  and  despotism, 
republicanism  and  absolutism,  civilization  and  religion, 
from  every  corner  of  this  earth,  are  watching  with  intense 
interest,  as  we  vibrate  between  law  and  anarchy.  .  . 

"  But  indifferent  or  disloyal  we  cannot  be.  Fail  or  fal 
ter  we  shall  not.  Through  and  beyond  the  clouds  and 
darkness  of  the  present  I  think  I  see  a  bright  and  glori 
ous  future.  I  hear,  too,  above  the  roar  and  shock  of 
battle,  prophetic  voices  —  voices  of  the  patriot  dead,  who 
fell  at  Lexington  and  Concord  and  Bunker  Hill,  and  on 
every  bloody  field  of  the  Revolution.  They  bid  us  look 
over  this  broad  land,  with  its  teeming  millions,  and  all  its 
wealth  of  prosperity,  and  to  remember  that  it  is  the  pur 
chase  of  their  blood.  What  they  did  for  themselves, 
their  children,  and  us,  their  children's  children,  they  call 
on  us  to  do  for  ourselves  and  ours.  The  liberties  they 
conquered  have  been  to  us  a  proud  heritage  of  freedom 
and  national  renown  for  more  than  three-quarters  of  a 
century.  Be  it  ours  to  reconquer  those  liberties,  and,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  transmit  them,  unimpaired,  as  a 
priceless  legacy  to  those  who  come  after  us." 


END    OF    VOL.    I. 


-it) 


I 


